PAIA Welcomes New Students

New Students Engage in Challenge Activities as part of Colloquium

It has been a very busy time of the year around Maxwell! While most schools are in their summer slumber, this is perhaps the busiest and most exciting time of our calendar year. On Friday, June 27^th we said good-bye to the newest Maxwell MPA graduates at the PAIA Convocation Ceremony. This is always a wonderful event with many smiles and much joy – but also tears as the students prepare to leave Syracuse and embark on their careers.

After a restful weekend, on Monday, June 30^th we opened the doors to welcome 119 new MPA students! This year’s theme for PAI 600: Public Affairs Colloquium was Leadership and Change in the Public and Non-Profit Sectors. 

Highlights included a riveting talk by Parag Mehta (MPA 2000) Special Assistant to the Director, OFCCP, US Department of Labor, a Leadership in Local Government Panel, moderated by Professor David Van Slyke, a Challenge Course and Teambuilding Exercises, a Leadership and Change in the International Arena panel moderated by Professor, Renee deNevers and our final speaker, Naomi Barry-Perez (MPA 1998) the current Director of the Civil Rights Center for the US Department of Labor.  Other alumni and panelists included Steve Heaney (’76) Managing Director, Stifel, Nicolaus and Co.; Scott Mitnick (’89) City Manager, Thousand Oaks, CA; Mary Bunting (’89) City Manager, Hampton, VA; Lisa Gordon (’90) COO, Atlanta BeltLine; LaJune Barnes (’08) Foreign Service Officer, US Department of State; Bob Christian, President of the Boulder Institute of Microfinance (and Professor in PAIA); and Fernando Pavon (’08) of the Inter-American Development Bank, currently serving in El Salvador.  That these alumni were not only willing – but eager – to travel to Syracuse and share of their experiences with our new students (during a holiday week no less!) is another testament to Maxwell’s strong and enduring alumni network!

Throughout all the speakers, panels and activities, emergent themes kept coming to the top.  Those of collaboration and coalition building; the importance of strong professional networks, individual integrity, and diversity; as well as keeping a focus on balance in our personal and professional lives were common throughout the week.  It was an exciting week, one of great community building, a bit of fun and learning more about the many and varied resources available to our students as they begin their time at Maxwell.

For me, it was wonderful to meet all our new students, to see many beloved former ones, and to know that no matter the challenges facing our communities and world, there is yet another group of dedicated public service professionals eager and excited to learn the skills they will need to go forth and attack those challenges and leave this world a better place… what could be better than that?