SPAANEWS
SPRING / SUMMER 2021
Celebrating Rutgers SPAA’s 15th Anniversary
Rutgers SPAA Celebrates the Class of 2021
PAGE 3
PAGE 4
2021 marks SPAA’s 15th year as a school at Rutgers University–Newark
Honoring our graduates and 2021 SPAA Award winners
Improving Greater Newark’s Access to State Services
Newly established NJ State Policy Lab will focus on community access PAGE 6
DEAN’SNOTE Dear SPAA Family: As summer ends and the fall semester begins, it is time for us to resume on-campus activities after 17 months of virtual interactions. We begin these activities despite the rise in COVID-19 cases, lagging vaccinations, earthquakes, tropical storms, fires, and many other adversities around the globe. While we have learned many lessons during the pandemic, the ones that stick out the most for me are PERSEVERANCE and RESILIENCE. That is, we have persevered despite the many things that could have stifled our growth and prosperity. We have learned to live and thrive in a world that is likely to be forever changed by COVID-19 because we are resilient. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the creation of SPAA as a stand-alone school at Rutgers University–Newark. We will continue to celebrate this milestone throughout the Fall 2021 semester in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of Rutgers University–Newark. Despite the many challenges associated with managing a
school during a pandemic, we were able to complete quite a few activities. This included a virtual graduation and Pi Alpha Alpha induction for more than 200 students. Also, one of our SPAA Advisory Board members initiated a new endowment in honor of a fallen MPA graduate, Samuel Okparaeke. SPAA collaborated with the Bloustein School on a successful $1 million grant proposal to create the New Jersey State Policy Lab. Our students also participated in an experiential philanthropy initiative that awarded thousands of dollars to local nonprofits. Finally, SPAA is partnering with NJPAC, WABC, the Eagleton Institute of Politics and a number of other organizations to host the first gubernatorial debate in late September. We look forward to the fall semester and will continue to build upon our successes. I end my message by thanking the many staff who continued to work and make our campus a safe place while we worked from home. We are forever grateful for you!! Charles E. Menifield, Dean
The first of two public debates between the Republican and Democratic candidates in the 2021 New Jersey gubernatorial race will be held at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark, NJ on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, and broadcast live on WABC-TV and WPVI-TV at 7 p.m. NJPAC’s partners for the debate between Governor Phil Murphy (D) and former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R) include Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration, WABC, WPVI, Univision 65, NJ Advance Media, WHYY-FM radio, WCTC Radio, and the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers. NJPAC and Evergreen Partners are producing the debate. “NJPAC is honored to host what promises to be an engaging and important night for all of New Jersey’s citizens,” said the arts center’s president and CEO John Schreiber. “This debate comes on the heels of a deadly pandemic, a renewed push for social justice, and a contentious presidential election. Our community has much to discuss. We know that the eyes of the nation will be on New Jersey during this election, and there is no more fitting venue for this significant moment in the gubernatorial contest than NJPAC.” The debate will be sponsored by PSEG and broadcast on both ABC-owned TV stations in the New York and Philadelphia
markets, Univision, WHYY radio and WCTC radio. The debate will also stream across WABC and WPVI’s streaming apps ABC7/WABC-TV New York, and 6ABC/WPVI-TV Philadelphia, respectively, and connected TV apps on streaming platforms Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Roku, and Hulu. Additionally, the debate will stream on NJ Advance Media platforms and NJ.com. WBGO Radio in Newark will serve as a debate partner. Hosts Sade Baderinwa of WABC, Jim Gardner of WPVI, Adriana Vargas-Sino of Univision, and NJ Advance Media reporter Amanda Hoover will moderate the debate and ask questions submitted by students, reporters, and the public. “The School of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers University–Newark is excited to partner with NJPAC, WABC, WPVI, NJ Advance Media, and the Rutgers Eagleton Institute of Politics in the upcoming gubernatorial debate,” said Dr. Charles Menifield, dean of Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration. “As the flagship university, with the number one ranked public administration program in the state, I cannot think of a better place to host the debate than in the state's largest city, Newark.”
Rutgers SPAA Among Partners for the First Official 2021 NJ Gubernatorial Debate at NJPAC
2 |
RUTGERS SPAANEWS
Read more: https://go.rutgers.edu/debate-partner
Celebrating Rutgers SPAA's 15th Anniversary & RU-N’s 75th 2021 Marks SPAA's 15th Year as a School at Rutgers University–Newark | #SPAA15
The School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark was established in 2006 after providing doctoral and master’s public administration education for over 30 years as a department. In recognition of the 15th anniversary of the founding of the School of Public Affairs and Administration – as well as the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Rutgers University–Newark – SPAA is hosting several events throughout 2021 highlighting our faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Read more and learn about upcoming Fall 2021 events: http://go.rutgers.edu/spaa15
Spring 2021 Events
Rutgers SPAA Celebrates Black History Month via a Candid Conversation with Faculty On Feb. 18, Rutgers SPAA hosted a panel to facilitate a candid conversation with SPAA faculty and hear each individual’s reflections on a career in public administration as a person of color.
Ariane Chebel d'Appollonia, Associate Professor Lindsey McDougle, and Associate Professor Stephanie Newbold. The event was moderated by SPAA MPA students and SPAA Ambassadors Monica Bestos and Evawero French.
http://go.rutgers.edu/bhm-2021
SPAA Turning 15: Discussing the Past, Present, and Future with Esteemed Faculty On April 7, some of the most senior faculty at the School of Public Affairs and Administration shared their reflections of SPAA from before and after it became the sixth school at RU-N. The panelists included Professor Kyle Farmbry, Associate Professor Suzanne Piotrowski, and Board of Governors Distinguished Professor Norma Riccucci. SPAA student Dylan Terpstra moderated the panel presentation and Dean Charles Menifield gave closing remarks.
Read more and view event recording:
SPAA Faculty and Staff Discuss the Full-Circle Journey from SPAA Grad to SPAA Employee On March 3, the School of Public Affairs and Administration presented a conversation with several members of the school's faculty and staff on coming full circle – from being SPAA students to being employed at SPAA. As part of the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the school and the 75th anniversary of Rutgers University–Newark, participants discussed their motivations for selecting public administration as a career and SPAA as their platform. Read more and view event recording:
http://go.rutgers.edu/full-circle-spaa
Rutgers SPAA Celebrates Women's History Month with a Discussion Among In-House Change Makers In recognition of Women's History Month, the 15th anniversary of the School of Public Affairs and Administration, and the 75th anniversary of Rutgers University–Newark, SPAA faculty and students had a discussion around the topic of "Women in Power Positions: 2021 - Is the Glass Ceiling Breaking?" The panelists for the event included three SPAA faculty: Professor
Read more and view event recording: http://go.rutgers.edu/whm-2021
Read more and view event recording:
http://go.rutgers.edu/spaa-turning-15
Rutgers SPAA Panel Examines the Future of Human Resources On April 10, Rutgers SPAA hosted a panel presentation with SPAA alumni who serve as leaders in their organizations to discuss human resources post-COVID-19 as part of Rutgers SPAA’s 15th anniversary celebration and the 75th anniversary of Rutgers University–Newark. Read more and view event recording: http://go.rutgers.edu/future-hr
SPRING / SUMMER 2021
| 3
Rutgers SPAA Celebrates the Class of 2021
On May 16, more than 200 School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) graduates were honored and recognized as part of Rutgers University–Newark’s Virtual Commencement. Acclaimed actor, author, radio personality, and humanitarian Wendell Pierce delivered the keynote address and was given an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree. An honorary Doctor of Fine Arts was also conferred on rap music pioneer and radio personality Angela “Angie” Martinez, and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree was conferred upon Robert Parris Moses. Remarks were made by Rutgers University–Newark Chancellor Nancy Cantor, student speaker Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences-Newark graduate Eshrat Oyeshee, and RU-N Student Governing Association President and SPAA graduate Dylan Terpstra (BA'21). Greetings were extended from Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, and U.S. Representative Donald M. Payne, Jr. The Rutgers University–Newark Chorus performed. Prior to the university commencement ceremony, SPAA held a virtual 2021 Graduation Celebration on May 13, during which SPAA honored graduates, Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society inductees, the 2021 SPAA Award Winners, and SPAA scholarship awardees. SPAA Associate Dean of Student and Academic Services Aaron Gibbs emceed the event. Rutgers SPAA Dean Charles E. Menifield remarked on the unique challenges we all faced this academic year. "I am sure that last year at Rutgers University–Newark has been a very interesting experience to say the least for all of you. However, it has afforded us an opportunity to reflect upon our lives as students, parents, and future leaders in our profession – and hopefully in a very positive way," said Dr. Menifield. "As you know, no one went untouched by this virus. Faculty had to suddenly put their courses online. Students suddenly had to be instructed completely online. Staff had to do their advising and conduct other services online – all of these things were, for the most part, done from their homes," said Dr. Menifield. "We had to adapt, but that’s what we do. No doubt our view of higher education will be changed for4 |
RUTGERS SPAANEWS
ever. However, we are going to utilize all the things that we learned to improve our methods of instruction and conducting business moving forward." The graduation celebration's keynote speaker was Dr. Roger Koranteng, adviser and head, public sector governance, for the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, UK, who serves as the principal specialist for governance and anti-corruption programs for the 53 commonwealth countries. "This is a defining moment for all of you," said Dr. Koranteng. "It is a day of celebration. A day when you look back on the many challenges you have overcome, and look forward to those that lie ahead, knowing that you have the skills and the knowledge needed to meet them. It is a day that you must never forget. This day is also a moment to give thanks for the tremendous support from family, friends, and benefactors who all together have made it possible for you students to make this remarkable journey through your educational voyage." SPAA Assistant Teaching Professor Dr. Lois Warner managed the induction of 46 graduates into Pi Alpha Alpha, the global honor society for public affairs and administration. Pi Alpha Alpha encourages and recognizes outstanding scholarship and accomplishment in public affairs and administration and membership identifies students with the highest academic performance levels in educational programs. SPAA Assistant Professor Dr. Leonor Camarena was inducted as an honorary member. SPAA Director of Public Engagement Sharon Stroye spoke about the achievements of the 2020-2021 SPAA Ambassadors and the graduating ambassadors were acknowledged. Dr. Menifield gave closing remarks and extended congratulations and well wishes to the graduates. "I want you graduates to remember that you will always be a member of the SPAA family. Know that you will always have a group of people that love you. We wish you the very best in all your endeavors and we will always be here for you." Read more and learn about some of our 2021 graduates: https://go.rutgers.edu/spaa-grads-2021
Samuel Okparaeke Scholarship Fund Launched to Empower Future Public Servants
For Samuel Okparaeke, education wasn’t simply a personal goal. It was part of a lifelong mission to uplift and empower his loved ones and community. A 2013 graduate of the master’s program at Rutgers University–Newark’s School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) and a former career development teacher at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, Okparaeke dedicated the last 20 years of his life to public service in Essex County, New Jersey. On Christmas Eve 2020, Okparaeke passed away suddenly at the age of 51. In honor of his legacy, a group of fellow Rutgers alumni and friends has launched the Samuel Okparaeke Scholarship Fund to uplift future public servants. Read more and learn how to support the fund: https://go.rutgers.edu/okparaeke-fund
ALUMNINEWS AMINA BEY (MPA’13) was awarded the 2021 "SPAA Community Service Award" for outstanding contributions to the community through time, actions, talents, and dedication. CHRISSY BUTEAS (MPA'07) was named to NJBIZ’s 2021
Next Generation Leaders list.
DE LACY DAVIS (MPA’12) was awarded the 2021 "SPAA
Distinguished Alumni Award for Practitioner Excellence" for outstanding achievement in public administration and public service through applied practice in the field.
Leaders for the Donative Labor Hypothesis."
DANBEE LEE (PHD'20) with M. Michael Kang received a
Volcker Junior Scholar Research Grant from the Public
Administration Section of the American Political Science
Association (APSA) for "Bureaucratic Representation, Whistleblowing Management, and the Roles of
Accountability Organizations."
SHANTÈ PALMER (EMPA'14) joined Rutgers-Newark as Vice
KENNETH DOUGLAS (BA'15, MPA'17) was named Trenton's
Chancellor for External and Governmental Relations.
TIA SHERÈE GAYNOR (MPA’05, PHD'11) was awarded the
Commerce as Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives.
new fire director.
2021 "SPAA Distinguished Alumni Award for Academic Excellence" for outstanding contributions to the intellectual, theoretical, and institutional advancement of public administration.
VIN GOPAL (MPA'19) was named to NJBIZ’s 2021 Next Gen-
eration Leaders list.
MIRAE KIM (PHD’14) and ÉTIENNE CHARBONNEAU (PHD'10) received an Honorable Mention from the Review of Public Personnel Administration for their piece "Caught Between Volunteerism and Professionalism: Support by Nonprofit
PATRICIA TEFFENHART (EMPA'14) joined the NJ Chamber of CHENGXIN MICHAEL XU (PHD'19) received a Volcker Junior
Scholar Research Grant from the Public Administration
Section of the American Political Science Association
(APSA) for "A Field Experiment on Discrimination Against Immigrants in the US Health Care Market."
We welcome SPAA alumni news about career, professional, and
educational accomplishments. For more alumni information and
to share updates, visit http://spaa.newark.rutgers.edu/alumni.
SPRING / SUMMER 2021
| 5
Rutgers SPAA to Focus on Improving Greater Newark Community’s Access to State Services with Newly Established NJ State Policy Lab
The School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark has partnered with Rutgers’ Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy (New Brunswick) to establish a policy lab for the state of New Jersey via a $1 million award from the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. Dean Charles Menifield and Assistant Professor Gregory Porumbescu from Rutgers SPAA, and Professor Stuart Shapiro and Associate Professor Andrea Hetling from Bloustein, are leading the initiative which will look to improve the quality of data and evidence used by state policy experts to implement policy and program improvements for New Jersey. “Many states around the country have established policy labs to help develop innovative solutions to policy problems. These labs aid state legislators in crafting innovative, evidencebased policy solutions to a range of pressing issues,” said Dr. Porumbescu. “When we learned the state of New Jersey had a call to create a state policy lab, we saw this as a great opportunity to leverage existing strengths of SPAA and make meaningful contributions to the quality of government in our own state.” The lab will draw from the expertise of SPAA faculty, SPAA initiatives (such as the one developing strategies and tools to create inclusive and equitable digital public services in Newark), and SPAA’s research centers and projects. “The chief focus of our school is public service, and this
opportunity allows SPAA faculty and students to engage and collaborate with nonprofits and state and local government officials to assist policy makers in their efforts to create a fairer and more inclusive New Jersey,” said Dr. Menifield. “Also, this opportunity provides a venue for SPAA students to acquire real world experience before they graduate and creates a new channel for SPAA faculty to contribute to the state of New Jersey.” While this is a state policy lab, much of the work facilitated by SPAA will focus on giving a voice to different communities and residents in Greater Newark. “Using a range of public outreach initiatives, our goal is to improve access to state services among residents of Greater Newark and to also ensure that the needs of Greater Newark’s different communities are accounted for as the state weighs policy options,” said Dr. Porumbescu. The lab will utilize collaborations across Rutgers, New Jersey, and beyond, calling on research centers, dataset repositories, and initiatives throughout the university and with partners, including the Walter Rand Institute (Camden), the Cornwall Center (Newark), the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (New Brunswick), the Center for Urban Research and Education (Camden), the Rutgers Law School Center on Law, Inequality, and Metropolitan Equity, Kean University, and New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).
This summer, 23 students participated in SPAA’s undergraduate service-learning internship course, completing 150 hours of internship work and attending the class taught by Michael Dillard, assistant teaching professor and director of the undergraduate program at Rutgers SPAA. The course gives undergraduate students an opportunity to gain professional experience while exploring all that public administration has to offer. Class sessions let students discuss their internship experience and any challenges they might be facing, along with how the internship experience could potentially turn into a job offer.
On Aug. 3, Dr. Dillard hosted students, internship supervisors, and SPAA family at an end-of-semester gathering to discuss student experiences and thank the internship supervisors for the wider role they play as mentors, guiding students’ professional development. “The internship experience connects the dots for our students – it allows our students to really understand nonprofit organizations and the way in which government works,” said Dr. Dillard.
SPAA’s Undergraduate Service-Learning Internship Course Hosts End-Of-Semester Gathering
6 |
RUTGERS SPAANEWS
Read more: https://go.rutgers.edu/intern-gather-21
ACCOLADES BA/MPA student ANNA AGBOTSE was selected for a threeweek Impact Investing Bootcamp run by University Impact (UI). SPAA graduate MICHELLE AMPARBIN (MPA’21) was awarded the 2021 SPAA Outstanding MPA Student Award for high achievement in both academic and co-curricular pursuits. DOMONIC BEARFIELD, associate professor, was awarded the
2021 SPAA Faculty Service Award for outstanding service to SPAA's students, faculty, and the greater SPAA community. + Bearfield won the 2020 Best Paper Award from the Review of Public Personnel Administration for “The Myth of Bureaucratic Neutrality: Institutionalized Inequity in Local Government Hiring,” co-authored with Dr. Shannon Portillo and Nicole Humphrey, associate professor and PhD student from the University of Kansas, respectively. JAMES DAVY, distinguished practitioner in resi-
dence, was sworn in as the new mayor of Pennington Borough.
KYLE FARMBRY, professor, was awarded a stipend by the IBM
Center for The Business of Government to produce a report which responds to key public sector challenges as part of their efforts to stimulate and accelerate the production of practical research that benefits public sector leaders and managers.
DIANE HILL, assistant professor of professional practice, was
awarded a grant of $25,737 from ScreenNJ to support the Center for Health Equity and Community Engagement/Advocates for Healthy Living Initiative’s AHLI for Life Cancer Screening Campaign to improve colorectal and/or lung cancer screening rates among Greater Newark senior citizens.
JIHYE JUNG, assistant teaching professor, received a Best Dis-
sertation Award from the School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado-Denver where she completed her dissertation titled “Dimensions of Democratic Accountability of Foundations: Transparency and Grantmaking Openness.”
PhD student VALENTINE A. LAMAR received ASPA’s Section on Ethics and Integrity in Governance 2021 Outstanding Student Paper Award.
SPAA graduate JEFFREY LAYDEN (MPA'21) was awarded the 2021 SPAA E. Drexel Godfrey Award for embodying the SPAA core values of high academic achievement, scholarship, and service to the community. (The award is named after E. Drexel Godfrey, former assistant director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), who joined the faculty of Rutgers University– Newark in 1974 and established and directed the graduate program in public administration.)
PhD student HANJIN MAO received the American Society for Public Administration’s (ASPA) 2021 Walter W. Mode Scholarship and Wallace O. Keene Conference Scholarship. CHARLES MENIFIELD, dean, was selected as a 2021
recipient of the Donald C. Stone Service to ASPA Award from the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA).
BA/MPA student ANA OLIVERA (BA'21) was awarded the 2021 SPAA Outstanding BA Student Award for high achievement in both academic and co-curricular pursuits. + Olivera was selected for a three-week Impact Investing Bootcamp run by University Impact (UI).
MADELENE PEREZ, associate dean for finance and administration, was awarded the 2021 Gail Daniels SPAA Staff Award for outstanding service to SPAA students, faculty, and the greater SPAA community.(The award is named for Gail Daniels who served Rutgers SPAA for over 43 years within academic and student services.) LOIS WARNER, assistant teaching professor, was
awarded the 2021 SPAA Faculty Teaching Award for significant contributions to SPAA's students’ intellectual life through superior teaching practices.
PhD graduate KAREEM WILLIS (BA’16, MPA’17, PhD’21) was awarded the 2021 SPAA Outstanding PhD Student Award for high achievement in both academic and co-curricular pursuits.
SPRING / SUMMER 2021
| 7
SPAA Students Award Local Nonprofits with Grants as Part of Spring 2021 Experiential Philanthropy Initiative Students enrolled in Associate Professor Lindsey McDougle’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy course this spring were provided with funds as part of an experiential philanthropy initiative supported by a generous grant from the Learning by Giving Foundation. These students were responsible for distributing funds to area nonprofit organizations that they believe make an important difference in the community. Students chose to grant $5K each to the following local organizations: • Masakhane – "Masakhane is a youth-driven organization providing community-based sexuality education in and around Newark, NJ. Masakhane’s anti-racist, pro-queer, and pro-trans approach to sex-positive programming seeks to promote sexual liberation, including the right to pleasure, for marginalized communities." • Spread the Love Foundation – "The Spread the Love Foundation strives to prevent teen suicide by educating students and adults on mental illness, which is the root cause of both suicide and addiction."
About Experiential Philanthropy In recent years, colleges and universities across the country have begun investing significant resources into this innovative new pedagogy. It is considered to be a form of service-learning, and has been defined as a teaching and learning approach that integrates charitable giving with academic study in order to enrich learning, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Experiential philanthropy
is intended to teach students not only about philanthropy, but also about how to evaluate philanthropic responses to local social issues. Unlike traditional service-learning, where students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs, experiential philanthropy may or may not involve an organized service component. In fact, the primary goal of experiential philanthropy is not to create greater service opportunities, but to provide students with the opportunity to assume the role of a philanthropic funding agent on behalf of their local community. “Since 2016, students at Rutgers-Newark have distributed over $80K in grant awards to 40 plus nonprofit organizations. The funding has come from two RU-N Chancellor's seed grant awards as well as the Learning by Giving Foundation,” said Dr. McDougle. Read more: https://go.rutgers.edu/exp-phil-spr-21
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND ADMINISTRATION (SPAA) RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY 111 WASHINGTON STREET NEWARK, NJ 07102
RUTGERS SPAANEWS is published by Rutgers SPAA Communications in the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark. Story ideas, news, and comments are welcome. For more news: http://spaa.newark.rutgers.edu/newsroom