Graduate Testimonials: Executive MPA

"The leadership knowledge I gained was invaluable. On top of that, as a working professional, being able to complete classes one Saturday a month and do most of the work in the evenings and on weekends allowed me to continue to work full time and apply what I was learning directly to my work. The in-person classes created an opportunity to meet new people and gain new ideas and thoughts. I made so many new connections that have already proven valuable.

One of my papers was on the lack of workforce in broadband and what that could mean for Ohio in terms of loss of funding from federal investments. As a result, I was included in a project with OU and Hocking College to ensure our region of the state was working toward training and workforce needs. The leadership knowledge I gained has helped me become a better project manager. I am more efficient with my time and with the time of those around me.

The highlight of my experience at Ohio University was getting to know the wonderful instructors and all my peers—I have so many connections now!

I wish I would have done the program sooner in my career. Not only has it provided invaluable leadership, project management and speaker engagement techniques, but all those combined have allowed me to find a great job and shine in my field. You cannot go wrong!"

"From the outset, the program impressed me with its comprehensive curriculum, which seamlessly blended theoretical concepts with real-world applications. The faculty members, with their diverse expertise and dedication to student success, fostered an intellectually stimulating environment. Their commitment to cultivating critical thinking and analytical skills has been instrumental in shaping my understanding of public policy, governance and administration.

The ability to learn how data is used in research to formulate logical conclusions has catapulted my career—I can effectively focus on factual information to render decisions rather than personal opinions toward legislation.

I would say, by far, Ohio University's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service is the most comprehensive program for public administrators. Being named after Senator Voinovich, the dedication to public service is clearly identifiable with its diverse faculty and staff who are focused on helping professionals increase their expertise and become better administrators.

The sense of community within the MPA program is truly exceptional. The faculty, staff and fellow students created a supportive and collaborative atmosphere where everyone was encouraged to share ideas, challenge assumptions and grow together. The networking opportunities provided by the program have been invaluable, connecting me with professionals and graduates who have become mentors and sources of inspiration. My continuous contact with former instructors also played a significant role in my success both as an elected official and government consultant."

“Understanding the ways that public administrators interpret laws and serve as the backbone of our federal and local government has been incredibly eye-opening for me. I have a more holistic insight to current events and [am] better prepared to navigate my own work environment.

As someone who works as an NGO public servant in both the Indo-Pacific and European theatres, I am engaging in cross-agency collaboration with U.S. federal agencies and our international partners daily. The skills that I learned during the EMPA program have given me the confidence to handle these situations with ease and affluency.  Ultimately, I am better able to support U.S. service members deployed overseas because of the knowledge I gained from my MPA degree.”

“The instructors were approachable and provided real-time feedback throughout the program. Many of these instructors have continued to provide me with professional support years later.

The relationships that were made, both with the instructors and the members of my cohort, were the most valuable aspects of this EMPA program. It’s five years after graduation, and the support system is still in place!”

“Every class has had an applicable impact on the work I have been doing. Learning to use logic models has been helpful for program planning and grant applications. Also, understanding how to manage a program or project from beginning to sustainability has been beneficial in helping obtain several federal and state grants, along with continuous opportunities to keep the work growing.”

“As a graduate of OHIO’s  EMPA Program, I found value in its practical approach to leadership, policy analysis, and cross-sector collaboration, which have been instrumental in my career. In the nonprofit sector, the program’s focus on resource management equipped me with the tools to develop sustainable programs. In city government, I applied lessons in strategic leadership to collaborate with city officials and community stakeholders to implement programs to improve community safety. In county government, I now rely on the program’s teachings in collaborative governance to drive initiatives addressing systemic challenges like poverty and health equity.”

“The Executive MPA program brings together professionals from diverse organizations and diverse viewpoints. Getting to know these people and hearing their perspectives through the various classes helps you to understand that even when we all agree on the necessity of something, we have different ideas about the right way to go about it. This is really helpful when dealing with allies from 32 nations and military officers from multiple branches.”