Carolina MPA Calendar

• June 19: Summer thesis substitutions due
• June 20: The Student Experience on the ARP with Amy Wade & online SLC Leaders; time TBD... save the date for now!
• June 27: September term online class registration opens
• June 30: Deadline to apply for MPA Mentoring Program
• July 25-29: Summer Oral Exams
• August 2: August 2022 degree award date
• August 15: Fall on-campus courses start
• September 5: September term online classes start
• September 17-21: ICMA Conference in Columbus, OH
• October 6-8: Fall Immersion: Social Equity in the Public Sector: Self to Systems

Apply today! MPA Mentor Program Apps open for 2022-2023

The UNC-MPA network is alive and thriving with 1,300+ MPA alumni and about 200 current students. Alumni and Students live across the globe, possessing interests and experiences in all areas of government, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. The UNC MPA community is a critical component of the value of the MPA program. The MPA Mentor Program (Community Connection Program) provides you the opportunity to start benefiting from this network today! 

The UNC MPA Mentor Program (Community Connection Program) facilitates connections between MPA students and Alumni who are looking to develop lasting relationship while also gaining mentorship and guidance. The Mentor Program (Community Connection Program) begins and ends in alignment with the on-campus academic calendar, with mentors and mentees matched during the month of July. Mentors and mentees are matched in a variety of ways, with efforts focused towards creating meaningful connections between MPA community members. The application is available here.

Roles: 

A Mentor is any Alumni or current MPA Student with five or more years of professional experience who is looking to:

• Share accumulated knowledge and wisdom
• Support fellow MPA community members in a way that has a direct impact on another MPA community member
• Enhance leadership and interpersonal communication skills
• Gain fresh perspectives from others
• Support the MPA program by giving back to current students and/or alumni 

A Mentee is any current Student or Alumni looking to:

• Build MPA community relationships that enhance learning and growth
• Test ideas and gain insight on professional roles and opportunities
• Gain experience with professional networking
• Increase self-confidence and communication skills 

Expectations and Responsibilities:

• The mentee will initiate meetings, prepare agenda items, and complete any other pre-meeting work
• The mentor will answer questions and take a personal interest in providing guidance, encouragement, and support to the mentee 
• Both mentor and mentee will commit to remain points of contact for one another throughout the academic term, August – May. While the cadence and format for communication is set by each pair, it is suggested that mentor and mentee agree to connect on a monthly basis.  

As a participant, mentors and mentees will receive a bi-monthly Alumni Mentor Program Community Digest filled with resources, MPA program updates and event, and tips to support conversations and mentor and mentee's continued professional development. 

How to Apply:

To participate, submit your interest here: APPLY TODAY! 

Applications are currently open and will remain open until Thursday, June 30, 2022.

If you have questions please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re looking forward to your participation in the MPA Mentor/Community Connections Program.

Allison Binkley

• Upcoming Events in the Carolina Community Garden
• Check out Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of the Triangle NC
• June 5-8:  Government Finance Officers Association Conference, Austin Texas
• June 7: 34th Annual Carolina Blood Drive

UNC Postdocs bring their smarts and energy to the Garden

GFOA’s 116th Annual Conference is less than a month away! Register Today!

Join the 4,200+ (and growing) delegates signed up so far for GFOA’s 116th Annual Conference, June 5-8, at the Austin Convention Center in Texas.

Don’t Miss:

• Access to more than seventy concurrent sessions and networking groups

• Three keynote presentations on topics of cybersecurity and public finance, self-awareness, and inclusive leadership

• Session audio recordings (available July 1 through GFOA’s learning management system)

• A maximum of 21 CPE credits for sessions attended

• Access to this year’s sponsors and exhibitors

• Opportunity to network with your peers at GFOA’s Welcome Reception (June 5 • 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm • Austin Convention Center)

• Delegate luncheons on Monday and Tuesday

• And more!

Plus, take advantage of:

• Group discounts (Receive a 10 percent discount on your conference registration if three or more people from your jurisdiction are attending the Annual Conference. Registrations must be submitted and paid together.)

• One-day rate on Monday or Tuesday

• First-time annual conference attendee scholarship for GFOA members attending their first Annual Conference

Learn more and register

Show you bleed Carolina blue, and help the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill celebrate 34 years of saving lives. Join the Employee Forum 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7 for the 34th annual Carolina Blood Drive at the Dean E. Smith Center. For more than 30 years, the Carolina Blood Drive has potentially impacted more than 100,000 lives through blood donations. Help us reach 100,000 more.

Schedule your appointment today: download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) and use sponsor code UNC. Walk-ins will be accepted the day of the drive, but appointments are encouraged.

Free parking is available at the Smith Center, or ride the bus with Chapel Hill Transit to the Smith Center. All presenting donors will receive a commemorative blood drive T-shirt and free food, while supplies last.

In alignment with CDC guidance, the American Red Cross has updated its pandemic safety protocols: face masks are no longer required at blood drives and donation centers, effective April 25. Social distancing will continue wherever possible. Red Cross employees and volunteers will graciously accommodate mask requests from donors where close contact occurs. Individuals may choose to continue to wear a mask and the Red Cross will continue to make masks available to those in attendance at blood drives.

To volunteer, or for more details, visit carolinablooddrive.unc.edu. Your generous donation and time volunteering make all the difference.