Public Administration and Urban Studies News

A free workshop titled “Organizing and Managing Your Life as a Student” will be held 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 3, in Polsky 462. The workshop will help students understand what, how, and how much time to plan for their activities, including recreation. It will address setting both long- and short-term goals so that busy students can make the most of their time. This workshop will be hosted by the Department of Developmental Programs and is open to all members of the campus community. For more information, please contact Shawn Bixler at sbixler@uakron.edu or ext. 5482.

Dr. Rajade M. Berry-James and Ph.D. students Nichole Bunner, Juanita Elton, and Rosa Githiora presented their paper titled “Our Journey Toward Cultural Competence — Color Blind vs. Color Conscience” at the Annual National Conference on Diversity, Race and Learning, held May 6, 2008 at Ohio State University.

Nichole Bunner, a Ph.D. student, was one of twenty Founders’ Forum Fellow recipients at this year’s American Society of Public Administration meeting in Dallas, Texas. With recognition came financial support to attend the conference, admittance to a 2-day “student summit,” invitations to luncheons and awards ceremonies, and a special reception. Congratulations Nichole!

Organizers of the 4th Annual Conference on Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research recognized Maria Veronica Elias, a Ph.D. student, and retiring faculty member Dr. Ralph Hummel. Ms. Elias received recognition for her nomination for the Outstanding Student Research Award, and Dr. Hummel received recognition for his nomination for the Faculty Mentor of the Year Award. Congratulations!

UA graduate students should seriously consider attending the first GSG Colloquim from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16 in the Student Union Ballroom. “Graduate Today, Leader Tomorrow: Preparing Our Graduate Students for What’s Next” is designed to prepare students for life after graduation. The full-day event is a mix of panel discussions, speakers, and workshops. A free luncheon is part of the day. Students can expect to learn resume-writing tips and interview techniques, as well as about important ways to work with others more productively in the workplace.

PAUS MPA graduate and current PAUS PhD student Nichole Bunner, who is also vice president of GSG, is playing a lead role in coordinating the event. Students are encouraged to come out for their own benefit and to support Ms. Bunner in the process. For information about registration contact Ms. Bunner at nmb1@uakron.edu.

Students Tom Reynolds and Kimberly Beckett, as well as faculty member Dr. Raymond Cox, attended the 2008 winter conference of the Ohio City/County Management Association in February. The title of the conference was “Looking Ahead: The Economy and the Future of Ohio.”

According to Mr. Reynolds, some of the most interesting seminars were: Foreclosures: What’s a Community to Do?;
Regionalism: Initiatives that Work; Ohio’s Ethics Code; Appleseeds, Filaments & You: Lessons in Leadership from Ohio’s Great Change Agents; Connecting OCMA with Ohio’s MPA Programs (presented by Dr. Cox); and Bringing Retail to Underserved Markets and Plugging Retail Leaks.

Congratulations to students Michael L. Hill and Sucheta Pyakuryal and faculty member Dr. Raymond Cox III on their efforts. Look for the following title in an upcoming volume of Public Integrity.

Cox III, Raymond W., Michael L. Hill and Sucheta Pyakuryal. “Tacit Knowledge and Discretionary Judgment” Public Integrity (forthcoming Volume 10, Number 2).

December 2007 graduate Kalinda Frazier is now working in Columbus as the Operations and Outreach Manager for the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing. Kalinda expressed considerable enthusiasm for her new job and said she felt well prepared for the role as a result of her MPA coursework here in the department. Our best wishes go out to Kalinda as she moves into this new stage of her life and career.

The Public Administration and Urban Studies Student Association (PAUSSA) is again hosting a networking event for students to meet prospective employers for full-time employment, part-time employment, internships, or assistantships. The event will be held from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, in the Student Union Ballroom. There is no cost to attend. Students are encouraged to have their resumes on hand and to dress professionally. This is a unique opportunity to mix with many of the area’s public sector and nonprofit employers.

The University of Akron is again sponsoring a conference to promote student research. This year’s Conference on Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research will be held March 27 at the Student Union. Students from all disciplines are encouraged to present their research in oral or poster form. Important dates…Deadline for abstracts is February 8; and notification of acceptance is February 20. For more information or to register for the conference, go to http://www.uakron.edu/gradsch/cugsr/cugsrForm.html (note that the dates shown at the registration site have been extended to those listed above).