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Stories

MPA

Read about BYU Marriott's MPA and EMPA programs, the students in our programs, the faculty and their research, as well as where our alumni are in their careers.
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Alumni Spotlight

A Springboard for Public Service

September 18, 2024
Whether he’s balancing the county budget or arranging fire services for unincorporated counties, Ezra Nair draws on the skills he gained from BYU Marriott's EMPA program to manage and serve the county.
2 Min Read
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Employee Spotlight

Fresh Perspectives and New Hires for MPA Program

August 08, 2024
Jeanelle Carden and Savannah Heath bring fresh perspectives and expertise to help grow the MPA community and increase its impact in the world.
2 Min Read
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Alumni Spotlight

Seasons of Life

August 06, 2024
MPA alumna Anastasia Jespersen has learned through experience that life has seasons, and each one comes with the opportunity to prioritize different parts of your life.
3 Min Read
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School News

From Wall Street to Nonprofit CEO: Jonathan Reckford Named 2024 Administrator of the Year

July 25, 2024
Recipient of the 2024 Administrator of the Year Award from the Romney Institute of Public Service and Ethics, Jonathan Reckford took an unconventional journey to working in public service and becoming CEO of Habitat for Humanity International.
4 Min Read
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Alumni Spotlight

Finding His Soul Major

June 24, 2024
Brad Hales found his perfect match online. But it wasn’t a dating site he was perusing; it was BYU Marriott’s MPA site. “As soon as I looked at the website, I knew an MPA was the degree for me,” he recalls.
2 Min Read
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School News

Looking Behind the Bill: The 2024 Cornia Award Winner

May 01, 2024
The Romney Institute of Public Service and Ethics at the BYU Marriott School of Business honored Amanda Rutherford, a professor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University and a scholar in the field of public administration, with the 2024 Gary C. Cornia Award.
3 Min Read
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Student Spotlight

Returning to Roots with New Purpose

April 16, 2024
Mariyah Housari, daughter of a Palestinian refugee and an MPA student at BYU Marriott, has come full circle as she strives to help modern-day Palestinian refugees.
2 Min Read
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Student Experiences

Bridging Local Efforts and Global Impact: The 2023 Buckwalter Award Recipients

April 04, 2024
MPA students Erica Jensen and Brianna Merling each received the 2023 Doyle W. Buckwalter Award for exemplary performance in their respective off-campus internships.
3 Min Read
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Employee Spotlight

From the Ground Up: Building an Alumni Family

April 02, 2024
After 24 years of building an alumni network and forging one-on-one relationships with those in the MPA community, Vicki Okerlund leaves behind a legacy of Christ-centered leadership that extends beyond the workplace.
3 Min Read
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Alumni Spotlight

The Beauty of Community amid Tragedy

March 22, 2024
Two months after Katie Cherrington moved to Maui, the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century struck her family’s neighborhood. In the aftermath of Lahaina’s tragedy, Cherrington has observed a community banding together and has seen principles in action that are taught at BYU Marriott.
2 Min Read
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Alumni Spotlight

The Power of an Open Heart

March 20, 2024
Justin Weiss, EMPA alumnus, has lived a life full of unexpected triumphs and hardships that have led to opportunities for personal development.
4 Min Read
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Alumni Experiences

From Patient to Healer: MPA Alumnus of the Year

March 08, 2024
Dale Hull, the 2023 MPA Alumnus of the Year, credits his time in the Executive MPA program for giving him the confidence he needed to help people with paralysis.
2 Min Read
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Employee Spotlight

Unifying for a Higher Purpose

February 29, 2024
As an MPA professor at BYU Marriott, Eva Witesman emphasizes to students the importance of unity with one another and the organizations they will work for.
4 Min Read
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Alumni Experiences

The Practicality of Passion

February 13, 2024
Art student Laurel Galli-Graves never imagined working as a data scientist for the Department of Defense. But her time in the MPA program helped her combine her artistic creativity, passion for public service, and love of analytics and machine learning to help further the public good.

3 Min Read
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Employee Spotlight

Intention Turned to Action

January 18, 2024
Teaching professor for the Romney Institute of Public Service and Ethics Aaron Miller teaches students that future business leaders should focus less on climbing the corporate ladder and more on creating a positive impact in the world.

2 Min Read
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