Carolina MPA Student Digest: |
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Carolina MPA Calendar
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September 7: September term online courses start
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September 23-26: ICMA Virtual Conference (details below)
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October 22-24: MPA Immersion
NOTE: This fall, in particular, we have a number of classes running on different timeframes. It will be very important to check your Heelmail, ConnectCarolina, LMS, and syllabi for relevant dates for your classes.
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MPA Back to School Resources
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Does it feel "weird" to say Back-To-School during COVID? Or when you JUST finished your PWE or May term class? We'd still like to recognize this right of passage, especially as a welcome to our new MPA students. This fall, we're welcoming 30 new students into the online format and 28 new students into the on-campus format (although, they're mostly remote at the moment as well!)).
Today, we're revisiting several great resources worth highlighting for all of our students, returning and starting: The Excel Bootcamp, the MPA Portfolio Introduction, and the School of Government Library.
The Excel Bootcamp can help you visualize data, whether in 719/720, or in the workplace. Everyone is sure to pick up a tip from our Excel Guru, Dr. Dale Roenigk.
Please be sure to check them out. Thank you to our dedicated faculty for putting these resources together!
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The Excel Bootcamp
The Excel Bootcamp can help you visualize data, whether in 719/720, or in the workplace. Everyone is sure to pick up a tip from our Excel Guru, Dr. Dale Roenigk.
The Bootcamp videos are divided by topic. They were recorded in our previous LMS, so may look a little different than what you're used to, but aren't too hard to figure out. See below for the data tables used so that you may practice yourself.
1. Introduction to Excel – This would be useful for people with limited or no background with Excel. Dale will show you the basics to get you on your feet and help you understand what is in the program, how to navigate the program, and some of the various ways to make use of the power of spreadsheets. If all attendees feel they have a good handle on this material, we can use this time for other Excel info.
2. Functions and Formulas in Excel – Move beyond basic math to understand the wide array of formulas that are built into Excel. Also learn how to use the formula auditing features in Excel to check your formulas to make sure they are correct. How can you sum just certain values? How can you calculate your monthly loan payment? These and many more are functions are available in Excel.
3. Pivot Tables and Tables in Excel – Learn how to use these powerful tools built into Excel to help you explore and summarize databases. You will focus mostly on basic pivot tables but Dale will talk a little about PowerPivot which is the ramped up version on steroids. Having at least a basic knowledge of Pivot Tables is almost always something past students say comes up in job interviews after graduation. Don’t get caught with that deer in the headlight look when they ask you in job interviews do you Pivot.
4. Formatting and Graphs in Excel – Learn the range of formatting options you have in Excel to make your spreadsheets look better. Also learn how to easily create graphs in Excel and how to tweak them to make them better. Finally learn how to use some of the new visual tools including in-cell graphs and sparkline charts. Dr. Roenigk also answered questions about his on-campus class in the spring, Decision Analysis.
Materials:
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The MPA Portfolio
Ms. Emily McCartha breaks down everything you need to know to prepare for the portfolio. Even if the Portfolio seems a long way off in your MPA career, you'll learn helpful tips for what you can do now to prepare. It can help to know now that you may need your textbooks to write the portfolio, or that if you jot down your big takeaways at the end of each course, you'll jog your memory later. Ms. McCartha is a veteran of teaching 746, The MPA Portfolio, and of sitting on portfolio committees, so she brings a ton of experience in helping students succeed to this session.
Covered topics include:
- what's included in 746
- Portfolio & oral exam timeline
- Sections of the Portfolio and what's included in each
- what faculty look for in a successful portfolio
- how to select & cite lessons
- how to critique your past MPA coursework
- how the MPA competencies related to the portfolio
- organizing your course materials & literature for writing
- writing style and logistics of the Portfolio
Materials:
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The School of Government Library
Accessing University Libraries will be a little different this fall, but the librarians and staff are ready to assist all of our students. The main library website discusses how to request materials, what locations are available for study, and what the regulations are for these spaces. The Knapp Library in the School of Government is not currently open to patrons. However, the library staff loves to hear from MPA students whenever they need assistance locating materials or answering questions. They may set up a more formal request system, but in the meantime, please email them directly with questions or to reserve materials.
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- Budget & Finance
- Civic Health & Cohesion
- Emergency Management
- Equity & Inclusion
- Futurism-Innovation-Technology
- Resilience
- Leadership
Interested in getting involved in UNC's student chapter of ICMA? Email Molly Gaskin, President.
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University & Beyond Events |
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- Virtual Opportunities to engage:
- CAPS Offers Graduate Student Support Group
- Academic Coaching is for Everyone
- Graduate Diversity Opportunities This Term
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Starting August 27: Structures of Inequality: A Focused Look at Systems of Racism
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September 10: Fostering Dialogue Across the Political Aisle
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October 7: How Pandemics Show Us Who We Are: Race and Risk in the United States
- Volunteer & Professional Development Opportunities
- My Future NC Seeks Researchers
- Orange County, NC Seeking Applicants for Human Relations Commission
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Through August 23: Apply to the UNC Institute of Politics
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August 7-31: Young Non-Profit Professionals Network (YNPN)of the Triangle Looking for Board Members
- Opportunities to Get Outside
- The North Carolina Botanical Gardens Reopen
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CAPS Offers Graduate Student Support Group |
I hope this message finds you well. My name is Dr. T. Ántonia Pendleton (I simply go by Ántonia), and I am one of the licensed psychologist at CAPS. I will be co-facilitating the Graduate Student Support group at CAPS this fall and I wanted to reach out to you to let you know about the group and perhaps consider joining.
The Graduate Student Support group provides UNC graduate students with a safe space to process some of the many challenges that may arise by being a graduate student, particularly given the current events that have been affecting the world, at-large. The group is scheduled for Fridays from 2:30 pm -3:45 pm with an anticipated start date of Friday, September 4th and CAPS has moved to a remote service model this semester, which means that all groups will be conducted via video format through a HIPAA-compatible Zoom account.
The Graduate Student Support group will be capped at 8 members, with a possible availability for 10 students. Students would need to contact CAPS (919-966-3658) to complete a phone screen so that they can be scheduled for a brief 30-minute group screen with me via Zoom. Although number of students who may be able to participate is limited, please know that CAPS recognizes the needs of graduate students and is committed to meet the needs of students. As such, CAPS is often available to host outreach presentations and I am more than willing to provide information for CAPS’ outreach coordinator in an effort to meet the mental health and well-being needs of UNC’s graduate students. If you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I wish you a wonderful day full of positivity!
Sincerest Regards,
Ántonia
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Academic Coaching is for Everyone
Watch two UNC Learning Center Graduate Learning Coaches explain how coaching works, and how it can benefit you and your academic life! Appointments with academic coaches can be made here.
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ORANGE COUNTY, NC (August 17, 2020) – One major way citizens can have a positive impact on the future of Orange County is to volunteer to serve on the various County advisory boards and commissions.
Presently, vacancies exist for One (1) Town of Chapel Hill representative and Three (3) At-Large representatives on the Human Relations Commission.
The Board of County Commissioners appoints all eighteen members. The Towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough each nominate at least one member. The Human Relations Commission seeks to prevent and/or eliminate bias and discrimination by means of education, persuasion, conciliation and enforcement. It also advises the Board of County Commissioners on these matters, receives discrimination complaints, and conducts the corresponding investigation of such complaints.
If interested, apply on the Orange County website.
Orange County strives for diversity on volunteer advisory boards. Minorities are encouraged to apply. Applicants must reside in Orange County. Volunteers appointed by the Board of County Commissioners have an opportunity to influence the way of life in Orange County.
For additional information call Thom Freeman 919-245-2125.
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MyFutureNC is a statewide nonprofit organization focused on educational attainment and is the result of cross-sector collaboration between North Carolina leaders in education, business, and government. They work to ensure that by 2030, 2 million North Carolinians have a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree. www.myfuturenc.org
Jeni Corn would like to identify faculty and students who could provide research and policy scans tied to one of their strategic plan priorities: Advance the development, implementation, and scaling of evidence-based, attainment-focused practices and policies.
They asked ncIMPACT Initiative to help identify faculty who may be willing to partner with them on potential topics for course projects, theses, or dissertations. Their work involves many education policy areas, including: Adult/Continuing Education; Counseling and Counselor Education; Higher Education/Community Colleges; K12; and Pre-K.
Contact information:
Jeni Corn, Ph.D.
Director of Strategic Initiatives
706 Hillsborough Street, Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 27603
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JOIN THE YNPN TRIANGLE NC BOARD!
Want to get more involved with YNPN Triangle NC? Want to develop your leadership skills, build your resume, and help strengthen the next generation of nonprofit leaders?
YNPN Triangle NC board members are committed to supporting young nonprofit professionals in the Triangle by fostering networking, skill-building, and resource-sharing. The current board recognizes the need for new knowledgeable, dedicated community members who can join YNPN's leadership team and provide support. We encourage all young professionals with an interest in advancing the mission of YNPN Triangle NC to apply, whether you work in the nonprofit, for-profit, or public sector.
The 2021 Board Recruitment Application will be open August 17- August 31. The application process will include an online application process and a virtual interview.
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Our main display gardens on the campus of UNC - Chapel Hill are open for outdoor visitation as of Tuesday, August 18. We are taking extensive precautions to make sure the Garden is a safe place to visit, and we need your help to keep it safe for everyone. Click here for more details.
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Carolina MPA | UNC School of Government | carolinampa.sog.unc.edu | Website | Intranet
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