Gary Cornia and James Perry, friends since the 1980s, reunited this month at the Brigham Young University Marriott School of Business when Perry spoke at the Romney Institute of Public Management’s second annual Gary C. Cornia Lecture Series.
“We selected Jim because he is one of the most prominent figures in public administration,” says Robert Christensen, Romney Institute associate professor. “More remarkably, many people also look to Jim for his excellence outside of the academy. He’s a great example when seeking balance in the personal and professional. ”
Perry is currently the editor of the Public Administration Review, a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, and a recent recipient of the American Political Science Association’s John Gaus Award.
“For many years I have admired the public service of both George Romney and Gary Cornia,” Perry says. “Giving the lecture was an opportunity for me to share my knowledge and experiences with Romney Institute faculty and students and, at the same time, acknowledge the wonderful legacies of those two men.”
During his lecture, Perry discussed four points to help advance public management research at a business school, including:
1. Using personal reflections
2. Leveraging context
3. Discovering research opportunities
4. Exploiting public management research opportunities
Along with these four points, Perry added the significance of geography: “Where you are located has effect with who you interact with.”
The series is named in honor of Cornia, a former Romney Institute director and BYU Marriott dean, and is designed to showcase the efforts of the institute, create networking opportunities, and open the department to peer institutions. The award aims to honor the brightest and most distinguished scholars in the field of public administration.
The BYU Marriott School of Business prepares men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Named for benefactors J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott, the school is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. BYU Marriott has four graduate and ten undergraduate programs with an enrollment of approximately 3,300 students.
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Writer: Emily Colon