Biography
My passion for civic engagement and public service is what led me to pursue my MPA at Marshall. The program flexibility allowed me to work full-time while completing my degree and the support from professors and department administration kept me moving forward when challenges arose. Upon graduating, I developed the ability to become an effective public leader, creative problem solver, and strategic thinker which are all skills I use daily.
My favorite thing about the MPA program is that I was able to take existing data from my then-job and apply it to classroom assignments in a meaningful way. I dissected legislative policies that impacted my work, I proposed a new departmental budget with increased efficiency, and I even wrote a “practice grant” for class that was actually funded. My final research project was also a real-life work initiative that allowed me to identify issues and develop sustainable solutions for improved success. Everything I learned in the program I have used outside the classroom and I can’t stress enough how valuable that is for personal and professional growth.
Currently, I am the Program Manager for Dual and High School Enrollment at BridgeValley Community and Technical College in South Charleston, West Virginia. In addition to my MPA, I graduated with my M.A. in Leadership Studies in 2015 and plan to one day to end my Marshall career by earning my Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.).