University Winter Break Resources

Your faculty and staff will be taking time off, just like you! We hope to see everyone refreshed in the new year. Check in with any individual you need to know their exact schedule, but please note the university will be closed December 26-30. The campus does still have resources for the next few weeks compiled by the Division of Student Affairs, so please check them out!

Profile on Recent MPA Grad Mat Bunch

Mat Bunch recently graduated from the online format, and the UNC Graduate School Magazine did a fantastic profile on him, his life from foster care to the public sector, and his recently published memoir. Thank you, Mat, for sharing your journey and insights with us!

TODAY is the Deadline to Apply for the NASPAA Student Simulation Game Wildfire!

Dear MPA Students,

In 2016, NASPAA launched its first Student Simulation Competition which took place at five (5) institutions across the US. This year NASPAA will host the latest competition on the topic of WILDFIRE on February 25 and March 4, 2023, for students in across the globe. Please visit the website for more information on this year’s competition.

NASPAA, or the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration, is the global standard in public service education and serves as our accrediting body. It currently has more than 300 member programs located in the US and 14 countries around the globe. They have a twofold mission to “ensure excellence in education and training for public service and to promote the ideal of public service.” The simulation allows them to carry out this mission and allows students to tackle real-world scenarios while networking with MPA/MPP students from across the world.

The UNC MPA Program will guarantee sponsorship of one on-campus and one online student (with the potential opportunity of additional students as well). This sponsorship would include payment of registration and travel fees to the location closest to the student’s residence. Students may also request to participate virtually if they are unable to travel to a simulation site. It is a wonderful experience to network with other MPA students from across the globe and gain real-world relevant experience. In the past, we have even had site winners representing the UNC MPA Program!

If you are interested in participating in this year's competition, please take a moment to complete this short form. The submission deadline is Friday, December 16, 2022. The selected students will be chosen by Director Willow Jacobson for nomination to NASPAA. If you have additional questions, please feel to reach out to me directly.

Best wishes,

Elizabeth Langefeld

Register for the 2023 North Carolina City and County Managers Association Winter Seminar

Please register for the 2023 North Carolina City & County Management (NCCCMA) Winter Seminar in Winston Salem, NC. The UNC MPA program has historically had strong participation in this event, and we know you will gain knowledge and great networking opportunities, so we hope you will attend!

Registration Information:

• Please click this link to RSVP for the 2023 North Carolina City and County Management Seminar, scheduled for February 1-3, 2023 at MC Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, NC. A draft schedule and more information are available here: https://www.sog.unc.edu/courses/nc-city-and-county-management-association-winter-seminar (please do not register via this link, as we’ll send all student registrations together). 
• The student registration fee for the conference is $50 and the alumni breakfast is $21.  
• The MPA Program will cover the cost of your registration, and the alumni breakfast, so it is very important that you attend should you register for the event. 
• Should you choose to stay in a hotel, that will need to be at your own expense.
• There is a tentative Happy Hour for students, alumni, faculty, and staff being planned for Thursday, February 2^nd, more details will be forthcoming.

In particular, we ask that you join us at the MPA Alumni Breakfast, 7:30-8:30 am, on Thursday, February 2^nd. This is an excellent networking opportunity. If you would like to attend the Speed Coaching session later that day, please also indicate that on your registration form. This is a first-come, first-served limited opportunity. 

Speed Networking Event:

You’ll also notice on the draft agenda the opportunity for speed coaching on Thursday afternoon. On the RSVP form you will have the opportunity to indicate your intent in participating in the speed coaching. Please only indicate if you are certain you will participate, as the seminar planning committee will need to make sure there are enough coaches (managers). Students have said year after year that this speed-coaching event has been one of the most helpful aspects of the seminar! 

The deadline to register for the seminar is 5 pm, Wednesday, January 18, 2023. If you do not complete the RSVP before that time, you will be required to register yourself and pay the full amount.

March 24-25, 2023

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The University of North Carolina Wilmington

The Department of Public & International Affairs at UNC Wilmington is pleased to host a joint meeting of the North Carolina Political Science Association and the North Carolina Public Administration Alliance.

We welcome paper, and panel/roundtable proposals that showcase work in political science, public administration, public policy, nonprofits, and international affairs. We encourage faculty, as well as undergraduate and graduate students, to submit proposals.

To highlight the important connection between higher education and public service, we are excited to welcome Dr. Angel Wright-Lanier, Ed.D., as our keynote speaker. Currently, she serves as the Executive Director for the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), but she also has significant experience working in local and county government across North Carolina.

Our goal is an enjoyable and affordable conference, particularly for students, so registration will be less than $100 for faculty and only $25 for students. Registration (February ’23) will include a Friday evening reception, a Saturday luncheon with our keynote address, as well as other refreshments throughout the conference.

Please share this Call for Papers with your network and encourage faculty and students to take advantage of this scholarly excuse to visit historic Wilmington and our beautiful beaches. 

Submit your proposal today!

Submission Deadline: Friday, January 13, 2023

The Carolina Graduate Certificate in Innovation for the Public Good (CIPG) gives master’s and doctoral students an educational pathway to explore modern changemaking and practice the skills they need to help create meaningful change in the world. CIPG provides students from any department with the mindset, tools, and methods they need to work effectively across disciplines to solve complex problems. By earning the certificate, students become skilled in methods that they can apply to their doctoral or thesis research. CIPG also equips them with career-ready skills that they can use when working on multi-disciplinary teams in businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies that increasingly demand the ability to apply cross-sector, community-engaged practices. 

Interested in applying? Go to the CIPG website and follow the application instructions. Applications for the Spring 2023 cohort will be accepted until 11:59 pm on January 13, 2023. Applicants will receive decisions by February 10, 2023. If you have any questions, please email us at cipg@unc.edu.  

Apply for a Community Engagement Fellowship by Feb. 1

The Community Engagement Fellowship at the Carolina Center for Public Service awards fellowships of $2,500 each year for engagement or engaged scholarship projects that are responsive to community priorities and have an academic connection. Returning, full-time graduate and professional students at Carolina are eligible to apply. Applicants submitting proposals with an environmental focus will also be considered for the named Mingma Norbu Sherpa Community Engagement Fellowship.

The application deadline is Wednesday, Feb. 1. Apply online through the CCPS Application and Nomination Portal. Visit the CCPS website for more information.

NOTE: Dr. Maureen Berner has let us know she would be willing to serve as a faculty advisor.