As a journalist for nearly 20 years, Sarah Gooding used to write stories about what was happening in her community. Now, Sarah, a graduate assistant with the WSU Public Policy and Management Center, wants to be a part of creating a community's story
Sarah, who earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications at Baker University, worked at various newspapers in Kansas, including the Pittsburg Morning Sun, where she co-wrote a series of award-winning articles on poverty in southeastern Kansas.
A few years ago, Sarah and her husband, a pastor, moved to Goddard, where she eventually became the executive director of the city's chamber of commerce. Under her part-time tenure, she helped grow the chamber by 30 percent. That stint also whet her appetite to consider a career in public service,
Because she wanted the skills and expertise to succeed at her new career choice, she said, she enrolled full time in the Master of Public Administration program at Wichita State in fall 2018.
"Sarah made a thoughtful decision to make a career change and is diving in head first to learn all she can about public administration," said Misty Bruckner, PPMC director. "She is always looking for the next assignment, has thoughtful questions and wants to be involved with as many projects as she can successfully do as a graduate assistant. We are so glad to have her on the team."
As a graduate assistant, she's jumped right into projects that have an impact -- such as Project Wichita, Sedgwick County strategic planning, the repurposing of Clapp Golf Course and more.
"Sarah is bright, talented, has a strong work ethic and the heart for public service," said Professor Mark Glaser, Sarah's adviser. "It is students like Sarah Gooding that make my job as a professor particularly rewarding."
