Master of Public Administration (MPA) students at BYU’s Marriott School have more combined gender, cultural and ethnic diversity than ever before. About one of every five students admitted to the class of 2002 is an ethnic minority. Approximately one-third of the students are female. And, 21 percent are international students.
“This is the most diverse group of students we’ve ever had,” said Robert Parsons, chair of the Romney Institute of Public Management. “We are delighted to have students from so many different backgrounds in the program.”
The first-year MPA class includes Native Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders, Blacks and Hispanics. “The range of experience and cultures represented in the class will enhance the program,” Parsons said. “We are training our students to become ethical leaders in communities around the world.”
This year’s class of 50, includes students from eleven countries: Australia, Brazil, England, France, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine and the United States.
“Because the world market is so global, you need a classroom setting that depicts today’s work force,”said Marie-Line Nadir, first-year MPA student from Martinique, French West Indies. “By working with students from diverse backgrounds, we will be prepared to work in cultural settings that are different from our own without having it be a barrier.” Nadir’s classmate, Aperahama Wharemate, from Sydney, Australia, added, “Because of the diversity in this year’s class, my understanding and perspective has broadened.”
The Romney Institute of Public Management, part of the Marriott School’s Master of Public Administration program, was named in 1998 after three-term Michigan Governor George W. Romney. A part of the Marriott School at Brigham Young University, the Romney Institute offers a master’s degree in public administration through both pre-service and executive programs. The Romney Institute has a long tradition of preparing young people for careers in public service and is dedicated to educating men and women of faith, character and professional ability who will become outstanding managers and leaders in public and not-for-profit institutions. The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States.
_
Writer: Carrie Beckstead