Truman School of Government and Public Affairs

The Truman School of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Missouri is excited to welcome Dr. Scott LaCombe to the faculty in Fall 2025. Dr. LaCombe comes to Mizzou from Smith College, bringing a nationally recognized research agenda focused on American state politics, institutional design, and policy diffusion. His work combines rigorous empirical methods with a focus on democratic responsiveness, inequality, and how public opinion influences policy.

Policy Camp with TSGPA and APPAM

The Truman School of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Missouri ranks 36th among Public Affairs programs in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings, a testament to the programs enduring excellence, by maintaining this level of recognition for over 30 years.  This placement reflects the school's commitment to academic excellence and its role in preparing students for public service careers.

As a Fulbright student researcher, Aryanna Hyde, PhD candidate in Political Science in the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs, is currently in Irbid, Jordan, working on fieldwork for her dissertation project, titled "Migrant Integration and Vitamin Wow: Wasta and the Migrant Experience in Jordan." Aryanna’s research focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by migrants in Jordan, particularly within the context of "wasta"—a cultural concept of networking and social capital that can be vital for navigating everyday life and accessing resources.

Dr. Rudy Hernandez awarded 2024 Jack Miller Teaching Excellence Award in Higher Education (Junior Scholar). 

The Jack Miller Teaching Excellence Award recognizes exceptional teaching in civic education at both the college and K-12 levels. The award is given annually by the Jack Miller Center to honor educators who excel in engaging students with America’s founding principles and history.

Long known for an underdeveloped public transit system, Michael Gawlick is among the Kansas City leaders trying to reverse that narrative.

With a clear post-graduate career goal of international development and education through non-profits, Maria Eduarda Olimpio Lopes searched for the best graduate schools in the US to give her experience and opportunities to enhance her abilities. Lopes found the Masters of Public Affairs program at Truman to be the perfect fit due to its flexibility of focus areas on both public policy and nonprofit management.

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drury Cooper, Dean of the College of Arts and Science at the University of Missouri, announced that Lael Keiser, professor of public policy and administration, has been reappointed director of the Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs at MU, effective Sept. 1.  Dr. Lael Keiser has been reappointed as the Director of the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs for a third three-year term.    

Charles U. Zug is the author of two books. The first, Demagogues in American Politics, was published by Oxford University Press in fall 2022. His second book, Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Federal Highway Act, is forthcoming January 2024 with the University of Kansas Press.