July 22, 2024
At over 600,000 strong, the state of Ohio's veteran population is one of the largest in the nation. Ohio University is dedicated to supporting veterans who are ready to continue their education, and faculty members like Gary Allen have the qualifications to do just that.
Gary is a U.S. Air Force veteran who has two perspectives on OHIO's Master of Public Administration programs — as an Executive MPA graduate and Online MPA instructor. In his faculty role, he is energized about how the University empowers service members and veterans to thrive in their civilian careers.
"As veterans, we have a voice in OHIO's MPA programs," Gary said. By listening to what they have to say, OHIO understands how to tailor support to veterans' needs.
Support for Veterans Who Are Ready to Earn Their MPA
Gary enrolled in the Executive MPA program for a simple but important reason: "OHIO's programs are very military friendly."
That fact became apparent in 2017, when he attended an information session hosted by the director of the Voinovich Academy for Excellence in Public Service, U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jay Johnson . Col. Johnson conveyed that military-affiliated students have the tools needed to thrive in the Executive MPA program.
"Hearing Col. Johnson describe the Executive MPA made it clear the courses were high quality and catered to working professionals," he said. "I knew with his involvement the faculty and students would be a cut above the rest, so it was a great opportunity to pursue."
Veterans wanting to seize that opportunity will discover an empowering environment at OHIO. The Veterans and Military Student Services Center provides a variety of resources, including support to veterans making the transition from military service to an academic program. This guidance is crucial because many service members face obstacles when moving from military to civilian life.
"It's difficult to transition out of the military, especially for veterans without parental support and other advantages to fall back on. You are almost a stranger in your own community," Gary said. "On top of that challenge, it is difficult for universities to navigate supporting veterans or assisting with the GI Bill ® ."
Fortunately, the Veterans and Military Student Services Center offers personalized services, with staff who are experts on the educational benefits available from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). What's more, OHIO participates in the Yellow Ribbon program, which funds tuition expenses that exceed what is covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
"These services make it easier for veterans to navigate these complex systems and begin their master's program," Gary said.
Advance in Public Administration
A Flexible Experience for Veterans and Active-Duty Service Members
Gary's career extends beyond military service, as he has more than 10 years of human resources experience and is now the workforce development administrator at the Ohio Department of Veterans Services. With a resume that impressive, it speaks volumes that completing OHIO's Executive MPA program ranks among his top experiences:
"One of my biggest achievements was completing my master's degree while working and still serving in the military."
The flexible nature of OHIO's Executive MPA contributed to his success. While completing this program, military-affiliated students can:
Meet Local Military Commitments
After four years in the Air Force, Gary continued to serve in the Ohio Air National Guard — including while he completed the Executive MPA.
"Between my full-time job and drill schedule, I had limited time available. It met my needs to attend class one Saturday per month at the Dublin campus on 20 Saturdays in total over the two-year program, and the faculty members were helpful when my service obligations conflicted with class," Gary said.
Many graduate students have similarly demanding schedules, and the Executive MPA program is designed to accommodate them. The online and in-person components offer tremendous flexibility, and OHIO's faculty members can account for military commitments and similar circumstances when setting deadlines for assignments.
"With how the Executive MPA was set up and support from my professors, I was able to attend class without an impact on my drill schedule," Gary said.
Take Classes During an Overseas Deployment
OHIO's flexible MPA programs appeal not just to veterans, but also to current service members. In fact, one of Gary's classmates was deployed during the first year of the Executive MPA program. By collaborating closely with OHIO's experienced faculty, he successfully advanced through the program while stationed abroad.
"He maintained a good relationship with all of his professors, kept them informed about what was going on, and collaborated with them to make sure he could complete each assignment," Gary said.
Faculty support helps service members meet the Executive MPA requirements during deployments when they are activated to active duty. Upon returning to Ohio, the in-person components work well for students who prefer to learn in a classroom setting. OHIO also offers an Online MPA with an asynchronous, study-at-your-pace format and greater flexibility for service members interested in completing each course virtually.
OHIO's MPA Provides Connections for Your Civilian Career
In his career as a workforce development administrator, Gary supports veterans by helping them access employment opportunities throughout Ohio. He finds this work quite rewarding because he gets to educate employers about the value that workers with military backgrounds bring to open roles:
"We build relationships throughout the state so that employers understand the benefit of hiring veterans."
That type of relationship-building is a central aspect of the Executive MPA. The on-campus components allow you to learn from instructors face-to-face and evaluate real-life situations with students who have diverse personal and professional backgrounds. These sessions provide new perspectives on public administration roles and help you develop a career network you can rely on after graduation.
"You'll meet people with experience with nonprofits, government organizations, businesses and the military," Gary said. "Students lean on each other for assistance and can reach out to the Voinovich School for mentorship, assistance and leadership."
In addition to making connections with your peers and instructors, you'll hear directly from leaders across the public administration field. Guest speakers include government administrators, elected officials and leaders of local nonprofits. Gary said the inspiring stories and insights these speakers share can prove valuable to your career:
"We all have something to learn from each other. When you hear from these folks, you can learn from their success."
Our Tradition. Your Experience. A Perfect Match.
Gary valued OHIO's veteran support when he was an Executive MPA student, and he is motivated to help other students benefit from it:
"The Executive MPA program contributed to both my military and civilian career. I am honored to give back as an MPA instructor and support other veterans, reservists, National Guard, and active-duty military personnel pursuing their MPA degree at Ohio University."
Moreover, he isn't alone in believing that OHIO offers impactful veteran support. In 2022, the Ohio Department of Education named OHIO one of the first Collegiate Purple Star campuses based on our tradition of empowering military-affiliated learners to succeed. If you're ready to put our history to work as you prepare for a future in public administration, discover what you can achieve in the Executive Master of Public Administration program.
In this hybrid program, you'll take in-person and online courses taught by leading public administration researchers and practitioners. Each course imparts career skills that complement military experience, and you'll access networking opportunities to connect with other aspiring leaders. Scholarships are available for U.S. military service members and veterans — request information to learn how you can get started.*
About Gary Allen
Gary Allen is a citizen-airman with over a decade of experience in human resources. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Gary continues to serve in the Ohio Air National Guard and is a workforce development administrator at the Ohio Department of Veterans Services. After completing the Executive MPA program through OHIO's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, he became an adjunct instructor in the Online MPA program.
Disclaimers
GI Bill ® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/index.asp
It is not the intent of Ohio University to imply an endorsement by any service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.
*Ohio University is proud of our active and veteran military members, alumni, and employees of corporate partners. New students who are a member of one of these groups and enrolling in one of the eligible online graduate programs for the 2024-2025 academic year are eligible for a 15% OHIO Online Incentive Scholarship .
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