MPA News Oakland University

February 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

On Friday, April 17th,

2015, the Master of Public Administration Program will host a reception to

honor new Pi Alpha Alpha inductees and other student and alumni achievements.

We proudly announce the guest speaker at our ceremony will be Monica E. Emerson, the principal, founder, and owner of Inclusive Performance Solutions, a multi-service human resources consultancy firm. She is recognized for her expertise in diversity and inclusion along with her leadership skills. She was the Executive Director of the Global Diversity Office at Chrysler for over 12 years and then served as the first U.S. Navy Diversity Officer from August 2009 to December 2011.

PAA Winter Awards Reception 1 About the Guest Speaker 1 MPA Director’s Message 2 MPA Scholarship News 2 Alumni Spotlight 3 Student & Alumni News 4 Career Development Updates 5

IMPORTANT DATES February 21st ~ March 1st

Winter Recess

March 17th Last day official withdrawal

March 23rd SAIL Registration Begins Summer and Fall 2015, Winter 2016

April 17th – PAA Reception

April 20th Winter classes end, 10 PM

April 22nd ~ 28th Final Exams

May 1st

Commencement for April 2015 Graduates, 7 PM

MAKING LEADERS. MAKING DECISIONS. MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Winter Awards Reception

MPA NEWS OAKLAND UNIVERSITY | February 2015 Issue 2

A Message from Our Director

This semester MPA students can apply for two

This semester MPA students can apply for two newly created scholarships. Generous donations to our MPA Gift Fund allowed the faculty to create scholarships addressing financial need. One scholarship covers tuition, books, or other academic expenses.

A second scholarship provides a stipend for students who cannot afford to undertake an unpaid internship experience. Application details available soon. Scholarship recipients will be honored at the awards reception in April 2015.

This February we are hosting a NASPAA site visit. A team of three – two academics and one PA practitioner – will come to campus to take a look at our operation. It’s a whirlwind three-day effort, essentially an audit designed to assure program quality. We do this every seven years. In fact, this will be our fifth accreditation: we were the second accredited MPA program in Michigan (behind only Wayne State) in 1987.

The essence of the exercise is that we demonstrate delivery of our mission to our students and other stakeholders. We have transitioned from a course-based to a competency-based model. We train our students to:

1. Lead and manage in public or nonprofit governance 2. Participate in and contribute to the public and nonprofit

management process 3. Analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make

decisions 4. Articulate and apply a public service perspective 5. Communicate and interact productively with a diverse and dynamic

workforce and citizenry We also hold to a set of core public service values:

1. Continuous improvement in organizational policy and procedure rooted in best practices

2. Sound decision making based upon appropriate technical expertise and analysis

3. Accountability to mission and to stakeholders 4. Community engagement: tangible contribution to a public or

nonprofit organization Data in hand, we are a better program for engaging this process.

Dr. J. Patrick Piskulich

MPA Director

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MPA Alumni Create New MPA Scholarships 11111111

To donate to the MPA Gift Fund, follow this link to OU’s individual giving webpage, make your personal choices and when asked for the fund that is important to you, please select MPA Gift Fund (30020). Thank you for helping to make these scholarships possible!

MPA NEWS OAKLAND UNIVERSITY | February 2015 Issue 3

Thomas A. Tanghe (’90) City Manager of Auburn Hills

Thomas A. Tanghe is the new City Manager of Auburn Hills.

Tom is a proud alumnus and donates countless hours of his time each year as a volunteer on behalf of the Alumni Association. He is a College of Arts & Sciences Ambassador, a commencement volunteer, and participates in several OU-sponsored events. Tom has worked with OU on the creation of the University Center in downtown Auburn Hills, where a variety of OU undergraduate classes are held each semester along with the University Drive Streetscape Project, which promotes aesthetic streetscape improvements. His OU/Auburn Hills internship initiative has provided a number of students the opportunity to gain valuable workplace experience. Tom’s son Josh is currently a freshman in the Engineering Program and is a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) fraternity here at Oakland.

Tupac A. Hunter has been promoted to Director of

Government Initiatives in the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs of Wayne County, Michigan. During his 12-year tenure in the legislature, he held several leadership positions. Tupac is an experienced professional with a distinguished, public sector career that spans two decades. He began his career in 1997 as a project manager at the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, where he managed a portfolio of commercial, industrial, and residential development projects, representing substantial new financial investment within the City of Detroit. He was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2002. In 2006, he began two terms in the Michigan Senate representing northwest Detroit, Dearborn Heights, and Inkster.

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Peter E. Auger is the new City Manager of Novi. He has

nearly three decades of public service experience, including his service in the U.S. Army. He is a graduate of the Gettysburg Leadership Institute and completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. In 2010, Pete was selected for a one-week Fellowship on Economic Development in the Ruhr Valley Region of Germany, speaking on economic development practices and comparing his practices to those implemented in the European Union. In 2012, he was selected as a Finalist for Crain’s

Detroit CFO of the year. Pete is the current President of the Michigan Local Government Management Association (MLGMA).

Alumni Spotlight

Tupac A. Hunter (’10) Director of Government Initiatives

Peter E. Auger (’92) City Manager of Novi

MPA NEWS OAKLAND UNIVERSITY | February 2015 Issue 4

Marian Reich, MPA student and Detroit’s Executive Director of the International Visitor’s Council starred in Michigan Matters this winter season to discuss the organization and its impact on Detroit.

Shaquila Meyers (‘08), former Policy Analyst for the Michigan Senate Democrats for over six years, has now stepped into a new role as the Legislative Director for Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich. While her original career goal was to become a physical therapist, Oakland’s MPA

Program sparked her interest, which she pursued following her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science, and shortly after, launched her career in the world of politics and non-profits.

Justin Breyer (‘12) has advanced to the position of Assistant City Manager in the City of Dexter, MI.

Anne Dieters-Williams (’09), former Research Analyst at Oakland University, has been promoted to Associate Director of Developmental Research.

Patrice R. Gray (‘10), with a wide range of knowledge and experience in quality improvement and project management in the healthcare industry, is now the new Quality Health Coordinator as a part of the Wayne State University Physician Group, moving on after serving three years as a Healthcare Analyst at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Paul Merriott (‘14), former VP and co-founder of the Oakland University Chapter of Pure Michigan Talent Connect, continues his career journey moving from Program Director at the International Visitor’s Council to PhD student at the University of Incheon, Korea.

Lisa Hardwick (‘14) is the new Interim Assistant Executive Director at American House Senior Living

Communities. Hardwick completed a bachelor’s degree from the

University of Michigan. Shortly after, she became the Special Events Manager at the Jefferson East Business Association, where she worked throughout the completion of her MPA degree.

Maria Willett, a Graduate Assistant for Student Outreach at Oakland University and the Community Planning Assistant for the City of Auburn Hills, was awarded a scholarship to attend the Michigan Political Leadership Program.

Congratulations to Jennifer Greig & Geoff Smiley on the birth of their beautiful baby daughter Hazel May Smiley on January 28, 2015.

Congratulations go out to Sefka Biogradlija (Mustedangic) on her marriage to Mirsad Biogradlija this October 24, 2014. Sefka currently works as a Network Management Representative at MeridianRx.

She expects to graduate this upcoming April with her MPA in

health administration. She joins the team of SAHL students that will be attending the ACHE Annual Congress in Chicago this March.

Student & Alumni News

Meet Theodore Robin Holtz, born January 23, 2015 to Pamela Holtz (‘13). Theodore joins his big sister Abigail and dad Tim in the Holtz household.

MPA NEWS OAKLAND UNIVERSITY | February 2015 Issue 5

Click Here to Join ANP

Informal Open Informative Luncheons at Noon on Saturdays

March 7, April 11, & May 9, 2015 Rochester Mills Brewing Co.

LinkedIn Workshop Wednesday, May 6, 2015

6:00 – 9:00 PM Varner Hall 479

Click Here to Join PMTC

PMTC GrizzOrgs Page

Click Here to Join SAHL

SAHL Website

The MPA Program will be hosting a LinkedIn Workshop to provide guidance in the processes of initiation and enhancement of students’ LinkedIn Pages. A guest speaker will also discuss the professional impact of LinkedIn.

The Association of Nonprofit Professionals (ANP), a newly formed campus student organization, as part of the Michigan Nonprofit Association, offers non-profit training, internship, and employment opportunities. Students and alumni are welcome to join. ANP monthly luncheons are open to everyone.

Pure Michigan Talent Connect (PMTC) is a State of Michigan Department of Economic Development effort to encourage our young talent to stay in Michigan. This February, PMTC is launching LiveWorkDetroit! Event Series, which provides students and recent graduates with the opportunity to network with employers in the area, hear from young professionals who live, work, and play in Detroit, and take an eye-opening bus tour of the city. They will be hosting a few roadshows throughout the month and an event at Detroit’s Majestic Theatre near the end of the month. All students are welcome to join PMTC and participate in their events.

Student Alliance of Healthcare Leaders is affiliated with the Midwest Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives or MCACHE. As part of the national organization ACHE, MCACHE is a professional organization that provides year-long programming for students of healthcare administration. All students are welcome to join SAHL, especially those pursuing a career in health administration.

Six SAHL members will be attending the ACHE Annual Congress on Healthcare Leadership in Chicago this March.

Career Development Updates

MPA NEWS OAKLAND UNIVERSITY | February 2015 Issue 6

MISSION STATEMENT

The Master of Public Administration Program at Oakland University advances excellence in public and non-governmental management through strengthening the

leadership capacity, problem-solving skills, public service values, and community engagement of current and aspiring public and non-governmental executives. The

program is designed to deliver outstanding service to our students, the university community, and the public at large.

DIVERSITY PHILOSOPHY

Oakland University’s Master of Public Administration Program is committed to creating a welcoming environment for all students, faculty, and staff. We will work to inculcate an awareness of the value of diversity and to impart the ability to interact respectfully

and productively with all stakeholders, regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, class, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, age, and/or veteran status.

MAKING LEADERS. MAKING DECISIONS. MAKING A DIFFERENCE