Deil Wright Lecture with Dr. Frances Berry

***MPA students are highly encouraged to attend the Deil Wright Lecture!***



Delivered both in-person and virtually, join us for the Deil S. Wright Lecture where we will hear from Dr. Frances Berry, Reubin O'D. Askew Eminent Scholar and the Frank Sherwood Professor of Public Administration in the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy at Florida State University. She speak on "Innovation in State and Local Government." In-person reception to follow.

• Thursday, October 6, 2022 - 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM, Free!
• UNC School of Government, Room 2603 or via zoom
• Please register whether attending on line or in person. 

In 2002, the MPA Alumni Association honored Professor Deil Wright for his 34 years of teaching MPA students by creating the Deil S. Wright Lecture in Public Administration. Each year, a distinguished professional from the field of public administration enriches the educational experience of students, alumni, faculty, and interested members of the community.

School of Government Diversity Gazette

Appreciation: More than a Thank You

by Maggie Bailey, MPA '21

I recognized lately that “I appreciate it” is likely my most-used phrase in my professional life. At this point, I feel that it’s become a trite response. Even though I really mean it, does it really sound like I do? Are there better, sincerer ways to express my appreciation?

Organizations grapple with the same questions. The pandemic and countless other stressors have encouraged people to consider and seek out the work environments they value and, critically, that value them. We know that people are happier at work when they feel they are appreciated not only for the work they do, but also for the diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and personalities they bring to their teams. By developing a shared culture of appreciation, our teams can intentionally recognize, engage, and care for its members. A culture of appreciation can also help to counteract organizational dynamics that can leave individuals feeling undervalued, disconnected, and burnt out.

Certainly, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to this work. But here are some strategies that teams I’ve been a part of have used to our advantage.

Incorporate appreciation into your team values

Values are the foundation for a culture of appreciation. “Appreciation” may not be explicitly named in your team’s values, but it’s surely reflected in how you interpret and act on those values. Having a team conversation about what matters to the group ensures that your team’s values and how they are practiced reflect the way members want to be treated.

Elevate your teammates’ strengths

This goes beyond simply giving your teammates credit for their efforts. Endorse their specific strengths and ideas to others on your team. This technique can be particularly meaningful for women, people of color, people with disabilities, and other groups who may face power imbalances in the workplace.

Acknowledge effort as well as outcomes

It’s easy to focus on results. They’re (often) easily measurable and visible. However, only emphasizing results loses sight of the fact that process matters. Further, it may discourage someone from taking on a new challenge for fear of making a mistake or slowing the team down. Acknowledging effort creates an environment that supports learning.

Ask how your teammates like to be recognized

Some may like public recognition in a team or organization-wide meeting. Others may prefer a private conversation. Some get satisfaction from recognition at the end of a particularly challenging project, while others appreciate gratitude for the small details they contribute. Whether you’re a supervisor or a peer, know that not everyone needs the same things to thrive.

Create inclusive ways for the team to connect

Make space for the team to come together and develop camaraderie both professionally and personally. Be mindful that different team members may prefer to engage in different ways. Relying solely on happy hours may isolate teammates who don’t drink. Only socializing after hours may be difficult for those with child or elder care responsibilities. Keep religious holidays and cultural observances in mind when planning your team’s calendar

Graduate Student Advisory Board

September 15th, 2:30-3:30pm

Are you interested in helping to plan QGAPS programming in the coming year? Do you have ideas of things you’d like to see us do? If so, consider joining the QGAPS Advisory Board. There’s no minimum length requirement and only three meetings per year (beginning of Fall Semester, beginning of Spring Semester, and early May). Our first Advisory Board meeting will be September 15th at 2:30pm at the Graduate Student Center.

If you have any questions, contact Karlie Kemper at kkemper@unc.edu.

Trans Talk Tuesday

September 20th, 5-6:00pm

Trans Talk Tuesday is the LGBTQ Center’s peer support and discussion group, intended to provide community and connection among folks on the basis of gender identity. All students, staff, faculty, and community members who hold identities as transgender, genderqueer, or gender-questioning are welcome!

At this time, we are using a hybrid model for Trans Talk Tuesdays. On the first Tuesday of the month, the meeting will be held at the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, and the third Tuesday will take place online via Zoom.

Please note this is not an educational space where people are expected to explain their identities. Cisgender allies are welcome to contact the LGBTQ Center at (919) 843-5376 or email us at lgbtq@unc.edu to talk with our staff about what educational resources are available to you.

To register Please contact Anole Halper at anole.halper@gmail.com for more information. You can also sign up for our Trans Talk Tuesday email list by visiting the Newsletters page on our website and submitting an interest form.

Three Minute Thesis Competition is Back

The Three Minute Thesis competition is back for the fall semester. The 3MT is an academic competition that assists current graduate students with fostering effective presentation and communication skills. Participants have just three minutes to explain the breadth and significance of their research project to a non-specialist audience. The fall event is a campus-wide competition open to graduate students.

This year, it will be held on October 11 as part of University Research Week.

Key dates for graduate students:

• Information session: September 22
• Last day to register for preliminary rounds: September 27
• Preliminary rounds: October 3
• Final competition: October 11

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Digital Services Deep Dives: Learning How Modern Government Works

September 27, 2022 

1PT/2MT/3CT/4ET

RSVP here

Over the last several months, Georgetown University students Ryan Powers and Joyce Bai, worked with the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation and the State of Colorado Digital Services Office producing a report on good governance, developing seamless systems, and careers in public interest technology.

Join us for this engaging webinar about the work of a digital service team, and the findings of the student researchers. Plus, learn more about how student research or “embedding” is an effective approach to telling the story about the important digital services work happening on complex issues in state and local government.

Speakers:

Ryan Powers, Student Analyst, Beeck Center

Joyce Bai, Student Analyst, Beeck Center

The UNC Center for Health Equity Research (CHER) Health Equity Research Intensive (HERI) is offering a collaborative learning workshop as a space for participants to co-create a definition of inclusive and equitable health research and generating innovative solutions toward achieving inclusive research. This workshop is Tuesday, Sept 27, 1 – 5pm ET.

Registration for the Co-Lab(orative) Learning Workshop is free. Community members who attend will receive a gift card for their time and participation. They will also be listed as co-creators for materials created in the workshop.

Register today at go.unc.edu/HERICoLab

This workshop is sponsored by Genentech, Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH), NC TraCS, UNC Rural and Whole Community Connection, Clinical Scholars, UNC Research and the UNC SOM Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Apply for the Judy Ikerd Endowed Scholarship to the NC Local Government Association Winter Conference

We are pleased to open the first application period for the Judy Ikerd Endowed Scholarship program.

In partnership with CIVIC Federal Credit Union, the $1,000 scholarship is dedicated to advancing students pursuing degrees in accredited North Carolina Master of Public Administration/Affairs/Policy programs. Any active full-time student is eligible to apply. The scholarship will provide $1,000 for the student in addition to attendance and lodging costs at the Winter Conference in Winston-Salem, NC December 7^th-9^th. 2022. The awarded student is expected to attend the conference to receive the award and check. Please share this with those you know who may be interested in the program. Applications are due to ikerdscholar@nclgba.org no later than October 28^th, 2022, at 5:00pm EST. Please title the subject line “Ikerd Scholar 2022”. The application is also made available on the NCLGBA website.

This scholarship is named for Judy Ikerd, (retired) Budget Manager of Catawba County and our third Jack Vogt award winner in 2008. She is one of the first members of the Association, joining in 1989, and has served on the Board of Directors from 1992 through 1997, when she was President. Speaking with those who knew her, Judy was an early adopter of new ideas and was one to innovate. She started the outcome-based budgeting (reinventing government) program in Catawba County which still has some facets in place today. She went on to teach this method to other governments in North Carolina. She served on the original steering committee for the UNCSOG performance management project. She applied for and received the first GFOA Distinguished Budget Award for Catawba County. She has taught classes at the UNC School of Government, and she has mentored many NC local government professionals. This scholarship reflects her efforts to advance good local government in North Carolina and we are excited to share this opportunity with students. Please encourage their interest and applications.

Please direct any questions or comments to ikerdscholar@nclgba.org.