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The MPA Online Newsletter |
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Faculty Publications Political
Science |
From the Director The fall semester is well underway. We welcomed 16 new students this fall into the MPA Program. Twenty-five people graduated last fall, spring and summer. We continue to work with a number of not for profit agencies on internships for students interested in that field, and state and local government as well. Thus, this year we have students interning with Sexual Trama Services of the Midlands, Voices for Children, the SC Bar, and state agencies including the Office of Human Resources, the Department of Commerce, the Energy Office and at the local level the City of Columbia. We also welcome a new faculty member to the MPA program this fall. Professor Heather Getha Taylor. She received her Ph. D. in public administration from Syracuse University. She has produced co-authored and single authored publications which examine such public management topics as leadership development, comparative human resource management reform, and cross-sector collaboration. Heather’s work has appeared in Review of Public Personnel Administration, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, and edited volumes. Her dissertation focused on the relationship between human resource management and collaborative capacity. She was awarded a Syracuse University dissertation fellowship to complete her research. Heather is the 2006 recipient of the Paul A. Volker Junior Scholar Research Grant Award. She will graduate in May 2007 with specializations in organization theory and human resource management and will receive a graduate certificate in health services management and policy. She earned her M.P.A. from the University of Georgia, where she was elected Co-President of the university’s chapter of the national public administration honor society, Pi Alpha Alpha. She also received an award for excellence in teaching from the university in 2002. She received her B.A. in Communications from Augusta State University (2000) where was elected Ms. ASU (1998) and served on the Student Advisory Council to the Georgia Board of Regents. We continue to try hard to stay in touch with our graduates and urge all of you to email me with news that we can share in our newsletter. Charlie Tyer, Director Faculty Publications and Activities T he public administration faculty continues to be highly productive in their research, publication and service efforts. Below is a listing of published and forthcoming books and articles by some of the faculty within the past year as well as other activities and recognition. Steve Hays’ chapter, “Making the Transition to Strategic Human Resource Management: Precursors, Strategies, and Techniques,” has been published in Strategic Public Personnel Administration: Building and Managing Human Capital for the 21st Century. Ali Farazmand (Editor), Westport, CT Praeger: pp. 85-100. Steve Hays and Jessica Sowa’s chapter, “Changes in State Civil Service Systems: A National Survey,” has just been published as the lead entry in an anthology edited by James Bowman and Jonathan West (eds)., American Public Service: Radical Reform and the Merit System. New York: Taylor and Francis, 2007, pp. 3-33. Steve Hays has been appointed to the National Advisory Board of the Partnership for Public Service, a Washington-based research program designed to promote the interests of the professional civil service. Congratulations to Steve Hays and Jessica Sowa, who received the ROPPA best article award for 2006 for their article “A Broader Look at the Accountability Movement: Some Grim Realities in State Civil Service Systems.” Review of Public Personnel Administration 26 (June, 2006): 102-117. Donald Fowler and Blease Graham each received the Excellence in Teaching Award for 2006-2007 from the University’s Alpha Chapter of Mortar Board. Professor Fowler also delivered remarks to the group at its awards ceremony on November 9. Blease Graham “South Carolina: Executive Budgeting Brings a Stronger Gubernatorial Voice to the Table” in Edward J. Clynch and Thomas P. Lauth (eds.) Budgeting in the States: Institutions, Processes, and Politics. Westport, CT and London: Praeger, 2006, pp. 189-211. Steve Hays and Jim Douglas’ chapter, “Judicial Administration: Modernizing the Third Branch,” appears in the 3rd Edition of Handbook of Public Administration, edited by Jack Rabin, Bart Hildreth, and Gerald Miller. Boca Raton, FL: Francis and Taylor Publishers, 2007: pp. 983-1028. Neal Woods’ article “Serving Two Masters? State Implementation of Federal Regulatory Policy” has been accepted for publication at Public Administration Quarterly. Neal Woods and Michael Baranowski’s article “Legislative Professionalism and Influence on State Agencies: The Effects of Resources and Careerism” has been published in the November 2006 issue of Legislative Studies Quarterly. Philip Jos and Mark Tompkins presented a paper, “Keeping it Public: Preserving Public Service Values” at the Annual Meeting of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, October 20, 2006. Joan L. Rennhack, Mark Tompkins, and Philip H. Jos presented their paper, “An Analysis of Participation in FEMA’s Flood Programs by Counties throughout the USA,” at the SECoPA conference in Athens, Georgia on September 29, 2006. Recent Graduates and Awards Congratulations to the following MPA graduates who graduated from the program in 2006-2007. Fall graduates included: Stephanie Ashley, Stacia Bell, Brian Gaines, John Hampton, Britni Hasty, Heather James, Cody Lidge, Brad Neese, Janet Payne and James Richter. Spring graduates were: Wyman Bowers, Franklin Davis, Matt Gerrald, Misty Hallman, Ben Johnston, James McCallister, Mike Nuckowski, Michelle Parsons, Leah Still, Erica Stratman, Lindsey and Rebecca Williams. Graduating in the summer were Beth Burn, Leah Davis, Jennifer Rison and Bobby Rykard. Inducted last year into the PA honorary society, Pi Alpha Alpha were: Melissa Chandler, Ashley Tenney, Ben Angstadt, Jann Ewbank, LaCrystal Jackson, Moryah Jenkins, Alisha Larson, Rachel Levinson, Matthew Melton, Michael Nuckowski, Ameenah Pridgen and Ed Waller.
Spring/summer graduates attending the April awards luncheon included: Mike Nuckowski, Ben Johnston, Jocelyn Caldwell, Matt Gerrald, Erica Stratman, Lindsey Williams, Leah Still, Leah Davis, Rebecca Williams, Misty Hallman, Beth Burn and Michelle Parsons.
Sam Bennett (1995) Sam assumed the position of City Administrator in March 2007 in the City of North Augusta. A South Carolina native who grew up in the Rock Hill and Chester County areas of the state, Sam is the former city manager of Clinton, S.C., a position he had held since 2001. Prior to that, he served for six years as the assistant city manager of Goose Creek, S.C. Sam has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of South Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Winthrop University. Blackmon, Jantzen (2005) Jantzen has taken a job as a special agent with the US Department of Homeland Security in Atlanta. In September of this year, he and his wife are expecting their first child. He says it doesn't matter if it's a boy or girl, as long as he/she is a gamecock. Wayne Bowers (1973) Wayne Bowers has served as the city manager in Greenville, N. C since October, 2004. Prior to that he was the City Manager for Gainesville Florida (1995-2004). Before that he was City Manager for the City of Spartanburg South Carolina for over l0 years. Wayne and his family lived in Huntington West Virginia where he was City Manager from May, 1983 to September 1984. Wayne was the City Manager for the City of Jacksonville Beach, Florida from February 1977- May,1983. He served as Administrative Assistant in the City Manager Office in the City of Tallahassee from 1973-75 and as an Assistant City Manager from 1975-77. Prior to this, he worked for the Bureau of Governmental Research and Service at the University of South Carolina. His education includes a BA in political science cum laude1969,Western Carolina University where he was chosen from the faculty as the outstanding political science graduate in 1969. Afterwards he received twoo master's degrees. An MA in American History, 1971 f rom the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and the MPA from the University of South Carolina in 1973. Wyman Bowers (2007) Wyman graduated with the joint JD/MPA and has taken a position with the Murphy and Grantland Law Firm in Columbia, specializing insurance defense. Jerrell Coggburn (1994) Jerrell completed his Ph. D. here at USC after his master's. He has just taken a position as chair of the public administration department at N. C. State University. Wayne Curtin (2003) Wayne is director of governmental affairs for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. In February of 2006 he completed an executive MBA degree from Loyola University in Chicago. Jane Davis (2006) Jane graduated in summer 2006 and worked for a brief period of time at the USC ‑ Sponsored Awards Management Office ‑ until she married in December. She has taken a job with the South Carolina Education Association as a uniserv director. She works out of her home in Spartanburg to meet the needs of their membership in Spartanburg, Cherokee, Newberry, Saluda, and Laurens Counties; is developing a grassroots organization among her local associations; talks with principals and superintendents about the best options for students, teachers, schools, and the community; and basically advocates for educators. "Pretty much everything I could have wanted to do!" she says. Matt Gerrald (2007)
I am now an associate with the law firm of
Barnes, Alford, Stork & Sabrina Kidwai (2006) Sabrina moved to Washington, DC upon graduation. She began work in December 2008 as media relations manager for the Association for Career and Technical Education. John Lummus (1991) John is now Vice President for Economic Development at Tri-County Technical College in Pendleton, SC. Previously he was director of the Anderson County Office of Economic Development. Georgeann Luxion (2000) Georgeann graduated from USC in December 2000 and worked for the next 6 months at the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs as a Special Projects Coordinator. From there, she moved to Las Vegas and was the Director of Clinic on Wheels, part of Classrooms on Wheels, Inc which provides daycare, computer training and basic health care throughout the city using old school buses renovated to provide the services needed. She then took a couple of years off and then went to work for Catholic Charities in Washington, DC as their Communications Coordinator. From there she and her husband (an Air Force officer) went to Germany where she thoroughly enjoyed learning German and traveling throughout Europe. Now, they are in Shreveport, Louisiana and she is hoping to get back into a medium sized social service non profit agency. Michelle Parsons (2007)
Michelle graduated in spring 2007 with the JD and MPA degrees. She has
taken a position in the office of the SC Attorney General. Adriane began working for the SC Judicial Department in January 2007 where she is the Circuit Court Representative in the Office of Court Administration. Part of her job is to monitor and implement the policies and procedures of the Clerks of Court offices throughout the state. She is also president of New South Events, LLC. Doug Rucker (2001) Doug joined the US Army after finishing the MPA program. He is in the Army Special Forces, based out of Fort Bragg, NC.
More to come with the next issue!!! Attention Alumni!!! We need to hear from you. Let us know about events in your life, career, etc. and we'll include that in our online newsletter to share with your colleagues around the state, country and world. Photos are welcome.
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU’VE BEEN UP TO One of the most challenging aspects of the MPA Program is maintaining contact with the hundreds of individuals who are among our alumni and friends. To help us in this regard, and to provide past classmates with updates on your lives, we would greatly appreciate it if you would take a few seconds to provide personal and/or professional feedback. And, with the advantages of on-line technology, it couldn’t easier to give us a quick snapshot of what you’ve been up to recently. Please take a moment to write us at the following email address: Any news concerning job changes, career accomplishments, families, and geographical relocations will help us to enlarge our next account of ALUMNI ACTIVITIES and to share in your achievements. Please be sure to include an email address and/or street address in your communications, and tell us what year you graduated. And, photos are encouraged!! THANKS!!
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The University of South Carolina
Pictured
at left are some of the fall 2006 graduates who attended the annual
awards luncheon in December 2006. From left to right are: Brian Gaines,
Stacia Bell, Britni Hasty, Heather James, Brad Neese and Stephanie Ashley.