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Northern Illinois University

Public Administration

Dr.Thurmaier

Dr. Kurt Thurmaier

Letter from the New MPA Director: 1-10-20 Goals

We are beginning an exciting new chapter for the MPA program at Northern Illinois University. We embark on our 46th year with a full agenda that will transform the program and reach for lofty goals. Over the last two years, the faculty and staff have been working on several strategic initiatives that will be implemented this year.

Our strategic plan sets three lofty goals to be achieved in the next five years:

  • To be ranked #1 in local government management
  • To be ranked in the top 10 public budgeting and finance programs
  • To be ranked in the top 20 public affairs programs overall.

To accomplish these goals, we are implementing the following programmatic changes:

  • Transforming the division into an independent Department of Public Administration
  • Collaborating with the Political Science Department and others to create a new School of Public & Global Affairs, located within the College of Liberal Arts & Science
  • Transforming the MPA specialization in Human Services Administration into a specialization in Nonprofit Management
  • Collaborating with an interdisciplinary team of faculty and staff to create a new Center for NGO Leadership & Development that will complement the new MPA specialization in Nonprofit Management
  • Collaborating with an interdisciplinary team of faculty and staff to create a new undergraduate major in Community Leadership and Civic Engagement
  • Collaborating with an interdisciplinary team of faculty and staff to create a new PhD in Public Affairs.

These ambitious goals will not be achieved without your involvement. We need your help. Your contribution as an alumnus or friend of the program can include spreading the word of our ambitions and our successes throughout your network of friends and colleagues, supporting our MPA and doctoral students with internships and mentoring, enhancing the intellectual energy of our program with your participation in colloquia and as class speakers, recruiting the very best students to our MPA program, providing job placement leads to graduating students, and supporting the programming financially with your annual gift.

The MPA program at NIU is designed to launch young professionals in a career of public service. This is more than just “getting a job” at the end of an MPA degree. We are challenging our graduates to reach beyond their comfort zone to apply for nationally competitive internships and positions in local, state, and federal agencies around the country, in non-governmental organizations in the US, Canada, and around the world. Our success in achieving our strategic goals depends on them achieving excellence in their careers, beginning with their first professional position after earning the MPA, whether they are a pre-service or mid-career student.

We are committed to working with you and our students to realize your full potential as a public service leader. I hope you will not hesitate to engage us in this effort as a member of the public administration community. We expect great things from each member of the NIU public administration community, and we look forward to a life-long relationship with you, celebrating your successes and helping you rebound from temporary setbacks in your career. We are partners with ICMA, ILCMA, IGFOA, GFOA, and other professional organizations because we all share the core value of dedication to excellence in public service.

As the new director of an established and esteemed program, I am excited about our potential and eager to work with you in our success. Engage in the excitement. That’s what being #1 is all about.

Peace,

Kurt Thurmaier
Director