UNO School Of Public Administration Annual Report 21/22 UNOMAHA

ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022 | EMBRACING INCLUSION

THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AT UNO HAS A WORLD-CLASS FACULTY. WE ATTRACT STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. WE GIVE A RIGOROUS, RELEVANT EDUCATION. WE ARE NATIONALLY RANKED, LOCALLY ENGAGED.

The School of Public Administration (SPA) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) offers award-winning, nationally-ranked programs on campus and online.

The SPA is in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS), which is proudly celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Whether it is preparing the next generation of pilots, emergency managers, public and nonprofit professionals, or honing the skills of public managers--preparing students for public service careers is what we do.

OUR PROGRAMS Master of and Ph.D. in Public Administration | Master of Science in Urban Studies (MUS) Aviation Institute (AI) | Emergency Managment & Disaster Science (EMDS) Graduate Certificates and Professional Programs Minors in Tribal Management and Emergency Services (TMS).

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| UNO SPA YEAR IN REVIEW 2021/22

EMBRACING INCLUSION

G

WELCOME Craig Maher, Ph.D.

Director, School of Public Administration University of Nebraska at Omaha

EMBRACING INCLUSION This past academic year saw our School go through a set of changes that lay a path for our School’s future.

Another important direction taken by SPA is the development of undergraduate programming.

First, the UNO School of Public Administration spent the year working on its 5-year Strategic Plan. Much credit goes to Drs. Angela Eikenberry and Nuri Heckler for co-chairing this process as well as the members who served on the committee including: Victor Huang, Namkyung Oh, Jim Harrold, Daniel Scheller, Meagan Van Gelder, Nicki Allen, and Ellen FreemanWakefield. The committee met with faculty, staff, students and alums. The expectation is that the finalized version of the plan will be rolled out at our 50th anniversary event in fall, 2022.

SPA has had a strong presence at the undergraduate level with the Aviation Institute and Emergency Management and Disaster Science programs, but the School also now offers undergraduate minors in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management.

Consistent with the theme of this year’s annual report, our School’s vision includes: UNO’s SPA is a just, equitable, and respectful place to learn and work, guided by a commitment to diversity, inclusiveness, and integrity. Goals aligned with this vision include: cultivate belonging, especially among first generation college; international; veteran; Black, Indigenous and people of color; and non-traditionally gendered students, faculty, and staff.

The School’s commitment to diversity and inclusion go beyond our strategic plan and include statements in syllabi, responses to current events when appropriate and a diversity and inclusion committee.

These efforts have resulted in a greater understanding and awareness of student, staff and faculty needs.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusivity also led to important policy changes, including elimination of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for admission to our MPA program and PhD program. This has helped us recruit more diverse classes in both programs. The makeup of the School’s faculty is also more diverse than most departments at UNO.

We are also excited to roll out our new undergraduate minor in Cross-Sector Collaborative Leadership. The program was created in cooperation with the UNO College of Business and supported by the Volcker Alliance’s NextGen Service Corps. This 18-credit minor helps train undergraduate students to be proficient in understanding the operations of the three sectors – public, private and nonprofit.

This innovative programing was nationally recognized and was the recipient of the Voinovich Public Innovation Challenge that came with a $10,000 prize. Most of the proceeds were redirected toward student scholarships.

The efforts made by students, staff and faculty have been recognized by our national peers and are reflected in our School’s highest recorded US News and World Reports rankings. The School moved up to 23rd position in Public Affairs, Public Finance and Budgeting was ranked 5th, Local Government Administration 7th, Nonprofit Management 11th and Leadership 19th.

I am proud to be a member of SPA. I appreciate and respect the efforts of our students, faculty, and staff. We live our mission and vision: we serve to strengthen public service in a democratic and diverse society, and we aspire to be a pre-eminent resource for public service.

We have much to be proud of. Here’s to another exciting and fulfilling year in the School of Public Administration.

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CONNECTIONS SPA STAFF Nicki Allen, Student Services Associate, EMDS; Sarah Krafka, Staff Assistant, TMES; Megan Nelson, Communications Specialist, Instructor, CPACS; Jennifer Knight, Communications; Lyndsey Rice, Senior Academic Advisor, Instructor, EMDS; Meagan Van Gelder, Ed.D., Senior Academic Advisor, SPA; Sara Martin, Student Services, AI; Gayle Lokey, Grant Associate, AI; Melissa Wragge, Grants Program Manager, NASA Space Grant; Michaela Lucas, Associate Director, NASA Space Grant; Amelia Tangeman, Grants Specialist, NASA Space Grant; Jim Harrold, Ph.D., Instructor and SPA Graduate Advisor; Sue Troester, SPA Administrative Associate; Sarah Krafka, Staff Assistant, TMES.

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SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS: ‘21/22 Faculty conducted a total of 698 hours worth of Professional Services to a variety of public and nonprofit organizations.

7 Faculty members were active on campus as committee members or guest speakers through departments and organizations on campus.

5 Faculty were interviewed by a variety of media outlets.

2 Faculty received Fulbright Awards 66 publications, published across 40 publishing platforms. Top publishers are Journal of Public Affairs Education, Lexington/Lexington Books & Political Science & Politics. Each publisher has published three or more of the School of Public Administration Faculty.

Faculty and Ph.D. students collaborated to publish 4 articles.

Pro Bono work worldwide includes nonprofit research in Czech Republic to Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate Emergency Management Think Tank for a combined total of 280 hours.

A COMMUNITY OF SPA FACULTY

EXPERTS

Dr. Craig S. Maher, Public Administration Professor, Director of SPA Dr. John R. Bartle, Dean of CPACS, Professor in Public Administration and Urban Studies Dr. Jodi Benenson, Assistant Professor in Public Administration Dr. Tara Kolar Bryan, MPA Program Chair, Associate Professor in Public Administration Dr. Yu-Che Chen, Isaacson Professorship, Professor in Public Administration and Director, Digital Governance and Analytics Lab Dr. Carol Ebdon, Professor in Public Administration Dr. Angela M. Eikenberry, D.B. and Paula Varner Professor, Doctoral Program Chair, Professor in Public Administration Dr. Barbara Gomez-Aguinaga, Assistant Professor in Public Administration Dr. James Harrold, Instructor & Student Services Coordinator, SPA Dr. Nuri Heckler, Assistant Professor in Public Administration Dr. Trang Hoang, Assistant Professor in Public Administration Dr. A. Bryce Hoflund, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NE, Chair of Health Care Administration and Policy, Associate Professor in Public Administration Dr. Danbee Lee, Assistant Professor in Public Administration Dr. Jooho Lee, Associate Professor in Public Administration and Associate Director of Digital Governance and Analytics Lab Dr. Thomas Jamieson, Assistant Professor in EMDS Dr. Gary Steven Marshall, Professor in Public Administration Dr. Njoki Mwarumba, Assistant Professor in EMDS Dr. Namkyung Oh, Associate Professor in EMDS Dr. Daniel Scheller, Chair and Associate Professor in Urban Studies Carol Redwing, Instructor in EMDS Edouardo Zendejas, J.D., Lecturer, TMES Jordan L. Zendejas, J.D., Lecturer, TMES

SPA EMERITUS FACULTY

Dr. Robert Blair, Professor, Public Administration Dr. Richard C. Box, Professor Emeritus, Distinguished Fellow of Public Affairs, Park University Dr. Dale Anthony Krane, Professor Emeritus, Professor in Public Administration Dr. Patrick D. O’Neil, Associate Professor in Public Administration, EMDS Dr. B.J. Reed, Senior Vice Chancellor, Academic & Student Affairs, Professor in Public Administration Dr. Christine Mary Reed, Professor in Public Administration Dr. Ethel Williams, Professor Emeritus Dr. Densel Acheson, Professor Emeritus, Instructor and Community Service Associate

PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS

Ellen Freeman-Wakefield, Director of Professional Programs, SPA Dr. Mary Hamilton — Consultant, NE Certified Public Manager Program® and Midlands Superintendents Academy, Senior Executive in Residence Christian Janousek, Project Coordinator

AVIATION INSTITUTE

Dr. Scott Tarry, Director, Aviation Institute, Professor Dr. Chenyu Huang, Assistant Professor, Aviation Institute Dr. Becky Lutte, Associate Professor, Aviation Institute Skip Bailey, Flight Training Coordinator, Aviation Institute Theodore Johnson, Instructor, Aviation Institute Eric Taylor, Instructor, Aviation Institute Scott Vlasek, Lecturer, Aviation Institute

SPA ADJUNCT INSTRUCTORS Susan Ogborn, SPA Dr. Sandra Sattler Weber, SPA Dr. Felicia Sullivan, SPA Megan Nelson, SPA Dr. Barbara Hewins-Maroney, SPA

EMDS ADJUNCT INSTRUCTORS

Robb Gottsch, Battalion Chief, Omaha Fire Department Jason Graber, Battalion Fire Chief-Executive Officer to the Fire and EMS Chief, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Alan Joos, Training Manager, Training Division, NE State Fire Marshall Jim Palensky, Drill Master (retired), Omaha Fire Department Dennis Snook, Senior Analyst, Business Resumption Services at First National Bank of Omaha Cindy Krafka, Adjunct Instructor, TMES Shannon McVaney, Emergency Management Coordinator, City of Longmont Dr. Emily MacNabb, Adjunct Instructor Lyndsey Rice, Adjunct Instructor

AVIATION ADJUNCT INSTRUCTORS

Todd Andrew Bonkiewicz, MPA, Director of Integrated Communications, Salvation Army; Elizabeth D’Allura, MPA, Management and Program Analyst, Federal Aviation Administration Terry Kennefick, ATCS, Federal Aviation Administration Joseph Kirby, PhD, Performance Management, LLC Mike Lemkpe, Customer Business Manager, Honeywell Michaela Lucas, MS, Associate Director, NASA NE Space Grant Kelly McManus, MPA, Operations Supervisor, Omaha Airport Authority Jenny Rancourt, Aircraft Maintenance Scheduling Coordinator, Jet Linx Joe Rotterdam, AAAE, Director of Air Service Development, Pittsburgh International Airport Patrick Ryan, CFII, Flight Instructor Mark Sheldon, Meteorologist, USAF retired Jacob Tewes, J.D., Commercial Counsel, Skydio

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2023: TOP NATIONAL RANKINGS WITHIN OUR COLLEGE Public Affairs College: Public Finance & Budget Local Government Mgmt: Nonprofit Management Public Management & Leadership

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#23 #5 #7 #11 #19

BIG NEWS.

2023 Rankings: Our Rankings Have Grown Even Higher.

We strive for excellence, and this shows in our soaring national rankings.

The new 2023 “Best Graduate Schools Rankings” from U.S. News & World Report has increased our public affairs programs’ rankings across the board. These public administration programs have been consistently ranked in the last decade, and now two of our programs break the top 10 in the nation, including Public Finance & Budgeting (No. 5), and Local Government Management (No. 7). These programs are part of the School of Public Administration, now ranked at No. 23 in the nation.

Dr. John Bartle, Dean of CPACS said the recognition for his college’s programs highlight the programs’ quality. “It’s no surprise to see UNO’s School of Public Administration ranked alongside institutions like Duke, Columbia, Texas A&M and Kansas,” Bartle said.

“The school has a world-class faculty. We attract students from all over the world and give them a rigorous, relevant education. The top ten rankings in the specialty areas are also a welcome recognition of our leadership in the field. And while we are nationally ranked, we are also locally engaged: our faculty and students work closely with community partners, nonprofits, and governments to solve community problems.”

Dr. Craig Maher, Director of the School of Public Administration attributes these high rankings to both the committed faculty, staff and students, and support from the university.

“This level of recognition requires a sustained history of excellence. Our faculty are emerging and leading scholars in their respective fields and their efforts are reflected in these new rankings. Our national rankings also speak to the institutional support we receive at UNO. “To be this highly ranked requires a highly effective team that is supported in ways that enable us to do what we do best – affect our community through a combination of research, teaching and community service,” he said.

Students looking for exceptional education in public affairs will find it throughout the college.

Founded in 1972, CPACS is the only college in the University of Nebraska system dedicated to REVIEW public affairs and| UNO SPAentirely YEAR IN 2021/22

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U N O AV I AT I O N I N S T I T U T E 2 0 2 1 / 2 2

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

UNO’s Aviation Institute has become a nationally recognized force since its inception in1990. The Institute offers students flight instruction and education in the many facets of aviation including air traffic control, airport management, ground operations, unmanned aircraft systems and security.

Major Awards/ Honors The UNO Student Chapter of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) recognized as a UNO Registered Student Organization in February 2022

Burke High School Southwest Airlines

The AI has our largest graduating class ever in S22 with 27 students

READ MORE HERE about the Southwest Leadership Training

Adjunct Instructor Pat Ryan was recognized within the Omaha community with the Buffett Award for teachers.

Ryan teaches aeronautics at Omaha Burke High School and is active in aviation in the community.

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Jet Linx Aviation

The Flying Mavs student flight team placed second at regionals, advancing to the national competition at Ohio State University in May, 2022

Implemented a peer mentoring program for incoming students

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Community Partners

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Student Spotlight Precious Ayelomi – President of the UNOBAP (UNO’s Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals) and Aviation Student Why UNO? “UNO offers so many opportunities for education and career advancement. The access to teachers and leaders in the institute is a great positive.”

Why Aviation: “Aviation interests me as it brings together people with different backgrounds and skill sets at different levels to make an operation work. A safe and efficient flight for example is very multifaceted. It doesn’t only include the pilot, it includes the weather briefer, the flight dispatcher, engineers, flight attendants, lawyers and more.”

Future plans: “I’d like to one day become an Airline Pilot.”

Precious has recently accepted a full-time position (prior to graduation) working within the FAA as a Program and Management Analyst within the Mission Support Services Division of the Air Traffic Organization.

EXCELLENCE

AVIATION

LEADER & NATIONAL AWARD WINNER

INSTITUTE

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: THEODORE JOHNSON Theodore Johnson is a Ph.D. student in Public Administration, and an Aviation Institute Instructor.

While only in Nebraska for two years, Theodore has been noticed for already creating lasting change to broaden the horizons of racial and gender minorities within the UNO and Omaha communities pertaining to aviation/aerospace and other STEM fields.

In 2022, he was recognized by The Greater Omaha Chamber Young Professionals as one of four 2022 Change Makers for his work in the aviation industry. Theodore also was recognized with the 2022 Student Paper Award by the Society of Public Administration, Section on Transportation Policy & Administration.

His manuscript was titled “Quieted Voices: A Phenomenological analysis of the experiences of Black/African-American collegiate aviation students.”

Area of expertise: Theodore specializes in the social equity nexus of aviation and higher education; working towards lasting change that focalizes racial equity within higher education and the aviation industry.

“It is my charge as a Black male educator, scholar, and aviation professional to utilize this power to provide a platform to voice the experiences that have been historically ignored and to advance racial and educational equity for minorities.”

Praise for UNO: “My time as a student at UNO and faculty member within the AI/CPACS has been nothing short of extraordinary. The academic and non-academic support I received thus far has been unparalleled, which has empowered me to excel personally, professionally, and academically. Consequently, I have

grown as an educator, scholar, and aviation professional.

“If it were not for the supportive, open-minded, and equity-driven faculty within UNO’s School of Public Administration, I would not have had the unwavering confidence to engage in such bold scholarship, the knowledge to navigate the project which led to my national award, or the academic freedom to do so in the academy. UNO’s embrace of academic freedom has enabled me to aggressively explore the multifarious and contentious nature of social equity and develop pointed, implementable recommendations to address racial disparities within higher education and the aviation industry. “ Theodore earned his B.S. in Aviation Management and Master of Public Administration from Eastern Michigan, and has been a Private Pilot w/Instrument Rating; Aircraft Dispatcher. He expects to complete his Ph.D. in Public Administration in 2023.

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Dr. Becky Lutte

“Creating a diverse aviation workforce is essential for enhanced safety, increased innovation, greater profitability, and meeting the workforce demand of the aviation industry, as women remain significantly underrepresented in most fields in aviation.”

AVIATION

EMBRACING INCLUSION

INSTITUTE

WOMEN IN AVIATION

From Dr. Becky Lutte, (December, 2021). “Women in Aviation: A Workforce Report 2021 Edition” UNO’s own Becky Lutte, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Aviation, is an expert in recruitment and retention of women in aviation, as well as aviation safety policy. Becky recently completed her appointment on the FAA Women in Aviation Advisory Board. Becky was appointed to the Board by the Secretary of Transportation and served as a subcommittee chair. After working for 20 months, the board submitted their report in March to the FAA and Congress with 55 recommendations to enhance the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in aviation.

Becky’s work extends to the entire Aviation Institute. She has research in progress with Theodore Johnson and Wei Jie Liao regarding the recruitment and retention of black aerospace professionals.

More of Becky’s endeavors: A research project: Women in Aviation Maintenance: Research completed in partnership with AAR CORP. and in cooperation with Ryan Goertzen, Vice president of workforce development AAR, two time UNO alumnus (MPA, AI), and 2021 CPACS alumni award for excellence in public service.

2021 Women in Aviation Workforce Report. This was published in cooperation with Women in Aviation International and supported by NASA Nebraska Space Grant. Three of the four pictures featured on the on the cover are UNO AI graduates.

Award: Ninety-Nines (99s) 2021 International Award of Achievement for Contributions to Aviation

UNO features a Women in Aviation Chapter.

Aviation Institute Published Articles Leuenberger, D & Lutte, R. (2022). Sustainability, Gender Equity, and Air Transport: Planning a Stronger Future. Public Works Management & Policy. February 2022. doi:10.1177/1087724X221075044 Lutte, R. (December, 2021). Women in aviation: A workforce report 2021 edition. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357032586_Women_ in_Aviation_A_Workforce_Report_2021_Edition Bartle, J., Lutte, R. & Leuenberger, D. (2021). Sustainability and air freight transportation: Lessons from the global pandemic. Sustainability. 13(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073738 10 10 10 10

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STUDENTS IN AVIATION UNO Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP).

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EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

AND DISASTER SCIENCE 2021/22

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Meet Becca Weis, a May 2022 recipient of a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management with concentrations in Intelligence and Security and Criminology and Criminal Justice. She will also graduate with minors in Criminology and Criminal Justice and Political Science.

Becca completed her internship in the fall of 2021 and did such a great job that she was hired at the Salt Lake County Emergency Management Agency (SLCoEMA). She plans to continue with that position and advance her knowledge and skill set.

What was most beneficial about your degree from EMDS? “Being able to study critical areas within the field of Emergency Management. Emergency Management and Disaster Science is a very expansive and complex career field. The degree has helped me build a strong foundation where I can translate knowledge that I have learned throughout my courses and apply it within my job.

How will the Emergency Management degree benefit you in your career?

The Emergency Management degree will benefit my career by providing me a building block that I can continue to learn from allowing me to further my experience and knowledge within the field.

What was your favorite EM class and why?

My favorite EM class was the internship. I had the wonderful opportunity to build and apply my skills and knowledge of Emergency Management within an exceptional agency.

If you were a totally online student, tell us about your experience in the EM program?

My experience in the EM program totally online was exceptional. I was able to collaborate with my professors, students, and advisors.

I did not feel like my education was hindered from not being able to be in person.

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S T U D E N T A WA R D S Margaret (Maggie) Blice - Emergency Management Undergraduate Major Award Nicholas Walsh - First UNO Emergency Management Alumni Award Winner Sergio Rodriguez, current Emergency Management Student, was awarded a NASPA grant to work on a project he titled “MavPals,” a space for college students to meet friends.

UNO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

2021/22

ACCOMPLISHMENTS Graduates - 46 graduates in the 2021/2022 Academic Year

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TOP

17 students earned TMES Certificates in the 2021/2022 Academic Year Publications – 2 peer reviewed from Dr. Jamieson and many conference papers and presentations from both Dr. Jamieson and Dr. Mwaruma New internships: UNO/UNMC Emergency Management | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | County Emergency Management offices across the country Two are also in the works with Metropolitan Utilities District and Omaha Public Power District Hiring a new Assistant Professor to start in Fall 2022

EMBRACING INCLUSION

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Rosalia Saavedra is a May 2022 recipient of a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management with concentrations in Nonprofit Management and Tribal Management and Emergency Services. She will also graduate with minors in Anthropology, Native American Studies, Nonprofit Management, and Tribal Management and Emergency Services.

What was most beneficial about your degree from EMDS?

The most beneficial aspect of my EMDS degree has been it has allowed me to have the foundation for any EM career whether that is in the public, private, or nonprofit sector. This degree is also very interdisciplinary which allows me to be able to find the perfect fit for my career based on my interests and education.

What was your favorite EM class and why?

One of my favorite classes was Disaster Response and Recovery which was taught by Dr. Njoki Mwarumba. I enjoyed this class because Dr. Mwarumba was able to use current events and apply them to EM concepts. Dr. Mwarumba also set one on one meetings as well as class meetings even though we were an online class, those meetings allowed for great communication from a student perspective.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your internship?

The most awarding aspect of my internship at the American Red Cross was it allowed me to understand the importance of community partners and how important it is to get involved with the community. I was able to get insight on the needs and be able provide services where they are needed.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT — INTERNSHIP Meet William Hind, a current Emergency Management student at UNO. William is a junior with concentrations in Fire Service Management and Natural Disasters. He chose Emergency Management as his major because he has always loved first response and helping people in emergency situations. William is a very dedicated student and recently became a volunteer with the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team. He was also able to use this experience to complete his internship.

What advice would your give future interns in your major?

If you have an agency or idea of what you want your internship experience to look like, then you should just go for it and try to make it work, no matter how wild it may seem. At the end of the day, it is your internship, and you should get the most out of what you want to do. William also stated that he would 100% recommend an internship with the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team. He said, “It is a very amazing and rewarding team to be a part of.”

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EMBRACING INCLUSION

PUBLICATIONS:

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND DISASTER SCIENCE

Peer-reviewed Articles :

Jamieson, T., Caldwell, D., Gomez Aguinaga, B., Dona-Reveco, C. (2021). Race, Ethnicity, Nativity and Perceptions of Health Risk during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 21.

Jamieson, T., Cortés Rivera, J. J. Our Issue or their Issue? Media Coverage and Framing of the Zika Virus Epidemic. Disasters, 2021 Jul 01 Conference Papers & Presentations : Jamieson, T., “The Politicization of Crises, Disasters, and Emergency Management.” Section on Emergency and Crisis Management Webinar, American Society for Public Administration. December 2021.

Caldwell, D., Gomez Aguinaga, B., Dona-Reveco, C., Jamieson, T., “Understanding Vulnerable Populations: An Exploration of Data Sources and Research Methods.” Presented at Nebraska Data Users Conference. June 2021.

Dona-Reveco, C., Gomez-Aguinaga, B., Jamieson, T., Caldwell, D., “Evaluating Emigration Intentions. A Comparative Analysis of Three Latin American Countries.” Presented at The Public and Democracy in the Americas Conference, LAPOP, Online. October 21, 2021.

Jamieson, T., “The Moral Foundations of Federal Disaster Preparedness Spending.” Presented at Natural Hazards Researchers Meeting. July 2021.

Jamieson, T., “The Moral Foundations of Federal Disaster Preparedness Spending.” Presented at Southern Political Science Association Annual Meeting. January 2021.

Benenson, J., Glanz, T., (Presenters & Authors). iNetwork of Schools Public Policy and Administration (NASPAA) Team Teaching as a Pedagogical Response to Pandemics, Protests, and Policymaking”.

Chapman, M., Mwarumba, N., (Presenters and Authors) Natural Hazards Workshop. Social Capital as a Coping Strategy Among Diaspora Chinese During COVID-19 Pandemic.

Book Chapters: Mwarumba, N., Large Secondary Datasets: An Imperative for Addressing Global Public Health Disasters. In Rivera, Jason D., ed. Disaster and emergency management methods: Social science approaches in application. Routledge, 2021.

Events: Community Research Team Initiative - Trained inaugural community research cohort at Kenyan non-profit Ouko Community Initiatives (OCI) on Community Organizing Participatory Action Research (COPAR) Methodology for pandemic response research and strategy assessment. Objective of developing local community research partnerships is to improve articulation of local community data and preserve ephemeral (pandemic) disaster data. https://www.ocikenya.com/ Co-Founded Disaster Researchers for Justice (DRJ) https://www.disasterresearchersforjustice.com/ - The Disaster Researchers for Justice (DRJ) platform is formed on the premise that disaster researchers have a moral obligation to work for justice against structural racism, legacies of colonialism, profit-centered and militaristic disaster planning, political corruption, and willful ignorance of historical disaster patterns. The DRJ is a platform for scholars to actively engage with practitioners and policymakers, give voice to concerns over imminent hazards and failed disaster responses and recoveries.

Course Development - Developed the Disaster Management Executive Programme (DMEP) in partnership with Strathmore University Business School (SBS) for fostering disaster informed African leadership. https://sbs.strathmore.edu/disastermanagement-executive-programme/

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TRIBAL MANAGEMENT & EMERGENCY SERVICES EMBRACING INCLUSION

UNO has an Emergency Management and Disaster Science program and is also home to the single recognized Tribal Management and Emergency Services (TMES) Program.

Both programs support students and professionals to serve in emergency management roles within the public, private and non-profit sector. Specifically, the TMES program emphasis is on equipping tribal and non-tribal students with knowledge of tribal sovereignty and laws relevant to supporting disaster mitigation and preparedness, response and recovery among tribal nations.

STUDENTS & DRONE TECHNOLOGY The Soaring Eagle: Drone technology to strengthen Tribal sovereignty project is a multi-disciplinary research project with the objective of training undergraduate students on the use and application of drones and drone technology for disaster related functions. The TMES program seeks to equip students with the skills and requisite certification to fly and gather data. It’s in partnership with the UNO Aviation Institute and spring 2022 saw students being trained in Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).

The majority of these students are tribal undergraduate students enrolled in the Contemporary Issues TMES class led by Ed Zendejas. Other students participating in the project are drawn from NU’s Schools of Architectural Engineering and Construction.

An integral component to this program is the Omaha Public Schools – Native Indigenous Centered Education (OPS-NICE) high school students with whom we at UNO and UNL are partnering with to foster relationships and interest in Emergency Management and college opportunities. In the spring of 2022, the collective group of college and high school students will partner with AI graduate students to learn how to safely operate drones, and eventually participate in a site resource mapping project with the Omaha Tribe.

The project is funded through the NU Collaboration Initiative grant and has support from the Service Learning Academy (SLA).

The concept of Tribal sovereignty acknowledges the inherent right of Native American Tribes to self-determination and governance with the same powers as the federal and state governments. When disasters occur, recognized tribal nations can apply for disaster declarations if their response and recovery systems and personnel are overwhelmed by the event. If granted by the President, declarations activate the release and allocation by FEMA of necessary resources to individuals, tribal government agencies, non-profits and businesses for disaster response and recovery.

From top: Spring, 2022: Drone Technology at OPS’ Benson High; and inside and outside the UNO flight simulator.

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PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION DOCTORAL PROGRAM

OUR PHD STUDENTS ARE: EDUCATORS —

TEACHING THESE CLASSES: Introduction to Urban Studies | Leadership and Administration Introduction to Public Administration | Introduction to Aviation Aerospace | Aviation Safety | Diversity in Aviation Introduction to Emergency Management Emergency Management Strategies and Communication The National Incident Management System Disasters and Vulnerable Populations Agency Collaboration During Disasters Latin America: An Introduction | LLS Capstone Intro to Urban Studies | Leadership and Administration Introduction to Public Administration | Applied Statistics Planning and Evaluation | Nonprofit Organizations and Management Financial Management for Nonprofits | Public Policy Public Budgeting | Strategic Planning

AWARD WINNERS: Felipe Blanco: University of Nebraska Presidential Graduate Fellow 2021-2022; American Society for Public Administration, 2021 ASPA Founders’ Fellow; 2021 Public Administration Theory Network Fellow; Named one of 10 Rising Graduate Scholars by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

Josephine Hazelton-Boyle: UNO Helen Hansen Outstanding Graduate Student Award; U.S. Department of Transportation Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Research Fellow, $10,000.

Theodore Johnson: Named one of 41 Leading Black Male Educators

by UpLIFT!; Jonathan Wong: University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs Policy Fellow; Urban Leaders Fellow Eleven students also received UNO Graduate Research and Creative Activity (GRACA) Award funding, totaling $40,000.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2021/22 GRADUATES The SPA Ph.D. program admitted its first class in 1995 and now has 63 graduates, mostly working in academic positions, as well as in upper-level administrative positions in public, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. For specific details on our students, please see our Ph.D. Profiles

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Dr. Nick Juliano

Dr. Del Bharath

Dr. Josh Shirk

Dr. Bit An

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Dr. Josephine Hazelton-Boyle

Dr. Emily MacNabb

Dr. Kristin Broyhill

PUBLIC ADMISTRATION DOCTORAL PROGRAM 26 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE | 2021/22

The UNO Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) provides support to the Ph.D. program in many ways, including regularly supporting Graduate Research Assistants. For example, in 2021/22, Michael Lee worked on a budget study regarding “pay as you go” vs “borrowing through bonds” to finance road construction and maintenance in Nebraska.

Graduate Studies, and the Nebraska Research Initiative (NRI), has supported two of our students through the Research Development Program, aimed at stimulating research and creative activities at UNO. The program provides support in the form of doctoral graduate research assistantships (GRAs) to two of our Ph.D. students:

We also partnered with the UNO Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), which is employing Ph.D. students Jonathan Wong, to help with administration of the program, including facilitating Institute on Civic Engagement learning sessions.

Dr. Tom Jamieson, in partnership with Dr. Cristián Doña-Reveco in the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS), and Dr. Barbara Gomez-Aguinaga in SPA, are collaborating on a research project on “Human Mobility and Emergency Management.”

Dakota Caldwell, a Ph.D. student, is GRA for this project.

One of our Ph.D. students, Bunmi Lawoyin, provides research support to the UNO Service Learning Academy.

Another of our Ph.D. students, Monica Lea, has provided support for a study of the nationally unique UNO Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center (CEC), seeking to understand the ways in which the CEC contributes to the metropolitan mission of UNO. Finally, the UNO Office of Research and Creative Activity (ORCA), with support from the NU Central Administration, UNO

PARTNERSHIPS

Dr. Yu-Che Chen, partnering with Dr. Yuliya Lierler in Computer Science, and Dr. Chenyu "Victor" Huang in the SPA Aviation Institute on “Transparency and Fairness of Artificial Intelligence in Government Decision-making: Regulation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems.” Yi-Fan Wang, a Ph.D. student, will be GRA for this project.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Dr. Josephine Hazelton-Boyle, Graduate Student Marshal, 2022 commencement

Thoughts from Josey on her UNO experience: Spring, 2022 Top Experiences at UNO?: My GRACA grant from UNO to conduct research in Toronto, Ontario & the opportunity to teach several undergraduate courses. I loved working with UNO students.

Why Public Administration?

I see public administration as key to solving some of society’s most complex challenges. I study issues of social equity in public administration, primarily with a focus on transportation agencies.

2021 New Ph.D. Students

Future Plans: I’ll be starting as an Assistant Professor of Public Administration and Policy School at the University of Montana this summer.

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PH.D. STUDENTS PUBLISHED 17 PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS often with faculty and with other PhD colleagues:

Austin, E. K., & Rouse, Ryan. (2021). Faciality and the assembly of organizational subjectivity: Considering the possibilities of emancipation in management theory. Tamara Journal for Critical Organization Inquiry, 1–20.

Blanco, Felipe. (2021). Race matters at the DMV? Public values, administrative racism and whiteness in local bureaucratic settings. Administrative Theory & Praxis. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10 80/10841806.2021.1948735 Ding, Minshuai. (2021). Mobile apps for flood emergency management in China: Functionality, usefulness, and coproduction. China Media Research.

Doku, Yuriko; Heckler, N.; Jay, F.; Larson, S.; Niverson, S., & Starr, A. (2021). Midlands voices: Critical race theory deepened racial understanding for our UNO class. Omaha World Herald.

Eikenberry, A.M., & Song, Xiaowei. (In press). Collaborative philanthropy and doing practically relevant, critical research. Researching Voluntary Action: Innovations and Challenges, J. Dean & E. Hogg (eds), Policy Press.

Gehringer, Joel. (In press). The postmodern public sphere: ICT, misinformation, and simulated civil society. In R.M. Mirabella, T.M. Coule, & A.M. Eikenberry. (eds), The Handbook of Critical Perspectives on Nonprofit Organizing and Voluntary Action: Concepts, Applications and Future Directions. Northampton, MA: Elgar Publishing.

Hazelton-Boyle, Josephine. (In press). Transit stigma: Transit administrators’ views of the role of policy elites in perpetuating stigma, Public Works Management & Policy.

Heckler, N., & Rouse, Ryan. (In press). Reckoning with theoretical research: A heuristic for gauging and writing public administration theory. Administrative Theory & Praxis.

Jamieson, T., Caldwell, Dakota., Gomez-Aguinaga, B., & Doña-Reveco, C. (2021). Race, ethnicity, nativity and perceptions of health risk during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(21), 11113.

Jung, Seoeun., Eikenberry, A., Webb Farley, K., & Brainard, L. (In press). How do foundations support (anti-)racism? A critical race theory perspective on philanthropy and racial equity. Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing, e1744.

Liao, Wei-Jie., Kuo, N., & Chuang, S. (2021). Taiwan’s budgetary responses to COVID-19: The use of special budgets. Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, 33(1), 24-32.

Love, Kenya. 2021. Omaha based financial literacy programs: An initial environmental scan. POC Collaborative. https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/038FOwAI6ONUU5ZI4qtBo90yw MacNabb, Emily, & Fletcher, B.J. (2021). Food insecurity and economic crisis: The case of Omaha, Nebraska during the Covid-19 shutdowns. In A.B. Hoflund; J.C. Jones, & M.C. Pautz (eds.). Administering and Managing the US Food System: Revisiting Food Policy and Politics. Rowman & Littlefield.

Reyes-Nunez, Reyna L. (In press). Qualitative methods in international relations. In R.J. Huddleston, T. Jamieson, & P. James (eds.). Handbook of Research Methods in International Relations. Cheltenham, UK; Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Reyes-Nunez, Reyna L. (2021). Book review: Exploring the World of Social Policy: An International Approach, by Michael Hill and Zoe Irving. International Review of Public Administration, 26(1), 110–111.

Reyes-Nunez, Reyna L., Felipe Blanco, J. Benenson, J. J. Cortes Rivera, B. Gomez-Aguinaga, N. Heckler, T. Jamieson, & N. Mwarumba. (In press). Building inclusion, equity, and diversity into student coauthorship. PS: Political Science and Politics.

Shirk, Josh. (In press). From bureaucratic discipline to self-actualization: Using Marx and Foucault to critique the demand for better work rather than less work, Administration & Society.

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Ph.D. Students’ Community and Professional Service Ph.D. students provided an impressive array of service to the community and to the profession, for example: Felipe Blanco: Member of the Planning Committee, Social Equity Leadership Conference; Member, PAT-Net 2022 annual conference organizing committee; Member, ASPA Nebraska Council Yuriko Doku: Member, Board of Latino Center of the Midlands; Member, Omaha Women’s Fund Circle Class 10; Member, UNO Staff Advisory Council; Member, UNO ArteLatinX Committee Josephine Hazelton-Boyle: Board member, ASPA’s Section for Transportation Policy and Administration Theodore Johnson: Secretary, ASPA’s Section on Transportation Policy and Administration; Chair, Aircraft Dispatch Committee for the University Aviation Association (UAA); Member, CPACS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee; Adviser, UNO Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) Kenya Love: Vice President, Black Family Health & Wellness Association; Board member, North Omaha Area Health Clinic; Board Member, POC Collaborative Emily MacNabb: Board member, UNO Schwalb Center for Israeli and Jewish Studies Shawn Maxwell: Member-at-Large, ARNOVA Early Scholars Section; Advisory Board Member, North Omaha Area Health (NOAH) Clinic; Co-originator, I Come as One Podcast Carol RedWing: Member, UNO Native American Studies (NAS) Executive Council

D

2021/22 ACCOMPLISHMENTS & NEWS

DIGITAL GOVERNANCE & ANALYTICS LAB

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The Digital Governance and Analytics Lab (DGA) Lab focuses on the use of information and communication technologies in public governance and services. 2021-22 marks the third year of the launch of our new name with a strategic synergy between digital governance and data analytics. Our main areas of research and practice include e-participation, artificial intelligence, smart city, Nebraska local governments, and technologies for public transit.

Dr. Yu-Che Chen, Dr. Jooho Lee, and Dr. Victor Huang are the core faculty members.

Notable accomplishments Dr. Chen and Dr. Lee along with the Lab members hosted the International Digital Government Research Conference virtually in Omaha, Nebraska (June 9-11, 2021).

Dr. Chen and Dr. Lee served as the mentors for the COOL Network live discussion in spring 2022.

The lab has hosted a visiting professor Dr. Wookjoon Sung since July 2021. He has closely worked with Dr. Lee and Dr. Chen and presented his research papers at our lab meetings and at the 2022 ASPA conference in April 2022.

Major awards and honors for students, faculty, and staff Dr. Chen received the certificate of the top 10 most downloaded journal articles from Government Information Quarterly for his publication “Implications of the use of artificial intelligence in public governance: A systematic literature review and a research agenda.”

Dr. Lee received the SKPA Award for Excellence in Leadership and Service from the Section on Korean Public Administration (SKPA) of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), March 19, 2022.

Yi-Fan Wang received a one-year UNO graduate student research grant of $5,000 to study “Artificial Intelligence in Public Governance: Chatbot Applications in State Governments.”

Yeonkyung Kim received a one-year UNO graduate student research grant of $5,000 to study “Crowdsourcing in the governments: Lessons from Challenge.gov and Challenge Korea.”

Partnerships Nebraska Association of County Officials (NACO) Douglas Omaha Technology Commission (DOTComm)

Yi-Fan received a GRACA grant of $5,000 to study “Artificial Intelligence in Public Governance: Chatbot Applications in State Governments.”

Yeonkyung received a GRACA grant of $5,000 to study “Crowdsourcing in the governments: Lessons from Challenge.gov and Challenge Korea.”

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EMBRACING INCLUSION

MASTERS IN URBAN STUDIES

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT - INTERNSHIP MSUS student, Pratima Poudel, earned a prestigious internship with the city of Gretna, Nebraska. She is actively engaged in all aspects of urbanism in her position, from human relations to the built environment.

As part of her internship, she is working to prepare spreadsheets that compare the statutes of first-class city and second-class city. She is conducting research for Gretna’s crossing park project that will provide the community with a recreation and aquatic center, picnic shelters, fishing ponds, miles of trails, a dog park amphitheater, and playgrounds with baseball fields. Additionally, she is collecting U.S. Census data on low-moderate incomes to prepare some findings on affordable housing in Gretna. She is excited to be engaging her community as an MSUS student.

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MASTER OF SCIENCE IN URBAN STUDIES

ACCOMPLISHMENTS 21/22

Graduate Certification: The Urban Studies program has submitted for approval a proposal for a graduate certificate in Urban Leadership, with a focus on leadership and communication skills for urban leaders.

The overarching goal of the Certificate in Urban Leadership is to provide current and future urban leaders with the skills and training necessary to effectively and ethically lead and communicate in diverse urban settings.

The proposal was written in partnership with the School of Communication and we are hoping it will be formally launched in Spring 2023 or Fall 2023. It is planned to be offered fully online and in-person.

Service Learning: Students in UBNS 8000 (Seminar in Urban Studies) participated in a service learning project with local nonprofit organization SPARK CDI. They were tasked with designing potential plans/ideas for built environment developments along the 24th and Lake Street corridor in Omaha. Students presented their work to stakeholders at a community event (see attached flyer) in November 2021.

Master’s Thesis: MSUS student Talia Smith successfully defended her Master’s thesis titled, “Tenants versus Housing: The Los Angeles Tenants Union’s Narrative of the Housing Crisis.” She plans to submit her thesis for publication.

Partnerships: The MSUS program has partnered with the Department of Black Studies to develop a Fast Track program for undergraduate Black Studies students. Fast Track will provide the opportunity for seniors majoring in Black studies to take MSUS graduate courses that will count both for their undergraduate degree and their MSUS degree.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Crystal Sierra discovered the MSUS program while pursuing her undergraduate degree in Medical Sociology from California State University, Long Beach. This is when she drew the connection between the built environment and life outcomes – how the way we design our communities directly impacts individuals’ health, education and employment opportunities, and ultimately quality of life.

While enrolled in the MSUS program, Crystal was the Centennial Fellow for UNO’s Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center where she worked with the management team to support engagement in higher education and collaborated with over 30 nonprofits and organizations.

Currently, she is the Project Manager for Canopy South where the local nonprofit organization follows a national model based on three fundamental pillars: developing mixed-income housing, establishing a cradle-to-career education pipeline, and enhancing community vibrancy.

ALUMNI AWARD: Manne Cook The MSUS Program is proud to announce that Manuel (Manne) Cook has received the CPACS Alumni Award for Excellence in Public Service. Details on Page 29.

In her role she leads short-term and long-term projects from inception to implementation, facilitates community engagement activities, and supports internal operations. Her work is grounded in dismantling systems of inequality often found in marginalized communities. Crystal is passionate about equitable development that amplifies the community’s voice to ensure residents have a genuine stake in the changes that shape their everyday lives.

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MASTER

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2021/22

OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: CARLA MAYHEW MPA Student Selected as December UNO Commencement Student Speaker Our very own Carla Mayhew was selected as the student speaker for December’s commencement. Carla represents grit, dedication and academic success. She dedicated herself to her family and to her human resources profession while aiming high and balancing the demands and rigor of graduate-level learning.

Carla graduated this winter with her MPA and with a concentration in local government. In 2018, Mayhew was a recipient of the UNO Women’s Club Fellowship. She earned her undergraduate degree in legal studies from Chadron State College in 2006. She was appointed by Governor Heineman to serve as the Student Trustee on the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State College System (2005).

Mayhew is the Human Resource Director for the City of Alliance, Nebraska, serving since 2014. Her responsibilities include hiring, employee benefits, and training. She is also the current president of the Western Nebraska Human Resource Association and is a Senior Certified Professional by the Society of Human Resource Management.

Mayhew has been a Girl Scout Leader for the past seven years and speaks at local high schools about careers in local government and assists students with career preparation. She serves as a chamber ambassador and is a past-president for Leadership Box Butte.

Mayhew has two children, Pearl (13) and Archer (4), and enjoys riding her motorcycle. Following her graduation, she plans to continue with the City of Alliance.

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MPA & CERTIFICATE GRADUATES: FALL 2021

Timothy Benak, MPA Dwayne Bennett, Graduate Certificate in Public Management Robert Spears, Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management Jana Dye, MPA Matthew Jauch, MPA Karrissa, Jyles MPA Carla Mayhew, MPA Andrew O’Brien, MPA Elizabeth Potter, MPA Melissa Rumbaugh, MPA Jeffry Sprock, MPA Elsa Taylor-Cless, MPA

Summer 2021 Graduates Rachel Bahl, MPA Jona Beck, Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management Giselle Bergmeie, MPA Stacy Burris Stanfield, Graduate Certificate in Public Management Meghan Capps, MPA Kersten Crate, MPA

MPA & CERTIFICATE GRADUATES: SPRING, 2022 Cameron Adams, MPA Hameidah Alsafwani, MPA Andrew Christensen, MPA Trey Coley Lusk, MPA Molly Engebretson, MPA Janice Fink, MPA Virginia Gallner, MPA Theresa Glanz, MPA Lady Beverly Luma, MPA Robert Messbarger, MPA

Thomas Newcombe, MPA Taylor Newton , MPA Stephanie Niverson, MPA Summer Sanabria, MPA William Shearon, MPA Ian Tredway, MPA Chelsey Busse, Public Management Certificate Sheena Van Ornum, Public Management Certificate

Morgan Daniel MPA Samantha Flynn, MPA Rachel Nelson, MSW/MPA Eliza Perry, MPA Daniel Rue, Graduate Certificate in Public Management Jennifer Sharrick, Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management

Spring 2021 Graduates Annabelle Abisset, MPA MacKenzie Broderick, MPA Brian Bruckner, MPA Karen Castillo, MSW/MPA Nicholas Cordonier, MPA Leigh Ellis, MPA Vaughan Fischer, MPA Joseph George, MPA Daniel Hayes, MPA Christine Henningsen, MPA Karly Hernandez, MPA Shelby Hinze, MPA

Joseph Kozal, Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management Itzeni Lopez Gonzalez, MSW/MPA Franecia Moore, MPA Amanda Novotny, MPA Lucia Raya-Kaup, Graduate Certificate in Public Management Maia Smiley, MPA Luis Sotelo, Graduate Certificate in Public Management Sam Stivers, MPA Kristina Whisenhunt, MPA Alicia Wicht, MPA

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Our Fulbright Scholar: Connecting Current Students & Alumni Across the Globe Tara Kolar Bryan, Ph.D., associate professor within the UNO School of Public Administration, had never taught so many students from all over the world – literally.

With a class full of students who hailed from the Czech Republic to the Ukraine, Turkey, Ghana, Pakistan, Kenya, Bangladesh, and more – Bryan was up for the experience of a lifetime.

Bryan is currently serving a one-year sabbatical in the Czech Republic teaching and researching at the Faculty of Economics and Administration at Masaryk University in Brno as a Fulbright Scholar. Bryan is accompanied by her husband and two daughters, and they are loving their immersive experience within the Czech culture.

Bryan was drawn to the Czech Republic to gain a better understanding of the nonprofit (NGO) sector in post-communist countries where the sector is relatively young. In the fall, Bryan taught Nonprofit Culture and Practice in the U.S. Context, sharing “I wanted my students to get the opportunity to speak directly with nonprofit professionals in the U.S. so they could more deeply understand some of the course topics. I assigned students to interview a U.S. nonprofit professional, provided them with interview questions, and I asked them to write a summary and reflection of their interview in the context of the course readings.”

And, to Bryan’s surprise, for many of her students, she was the first American they knew. Luckily, she knew just where to find accomplished and knowledgeable nonprofit professionals -- through her home base of former students within UNO’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) alumni.

Connections of Bryan’s from the UNO MPA Program were called upon to serve as interviewers for her latest course assignment. The results were impactful for all involved.

Here’s what one of Bryan’s students, Larrious-Lartey Henry, had to about their student experience conducting interviews of a nonprofit professional from the U.S.: “It was an awesome time interacting with my respondent. My interviewee from the U.S. was Ms. Franecia Moore, the National Youth Programs Coordinator with the Common Cause organization. I was delighted to have such a personality that best fits the moment. My respondent did not only answer my questions promptly, but her answers were lively, insightful, and involving. The biggest takeaways from the interaction with my respondent showed me a clear picture which helped me appreciate some of the course topics.”

Having the opportunity to connect current students and alumni was just one of the many memories Bryan is creating as she finishes her sabbatical in the Czech Republic. She is motivated to “incorporate more comparative and international perspectives into my courses.”

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Our MPA Students:

Putting Theory into Practice Some examples from this year: Education equity: Our MPA and Urban Studies students worked with the Nebraska State Department of Education to create tools for analyzing equity considerations for PK12 social studies classroom materials.

Proposed rules: Our administrative law students practiced their legal research skills by providing public comments on proposed rules in Federal and Nebraska government.

BIPoC Community Support: In her final year in the program, MPA student Stephanie Niverson worked with the Omaha Community Foundation to improve the provision of a capacity building program to support nonprofit leaders in BIPoC communities.

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 2021/22

ACTIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY UNO & Omaha: Excelling. Sharing.

Conference Site Host.

Fall 2021 saw Omaha as one of five sites for the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) conference - held in five days in five cities. Our School’s dean, John Bartle, served as the chair of the event. The theme for the Omaha venue was “Protecting and Advancing Our Democracy,” and included panels on the National Civic League’s Model City Charter Revision, Law Enforcement and Democracy, Civic Engagement and Democracy, and the Role of the Media in Preserving Democracy. Panelists and audience members participated both virtually and in-person.

The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) was chartered by Congress to advance government practices and good governance. It’s elected Fellows include former cabinet officers, Members of Congress, governors, mayors, and state legislators, as well as prominent scholars, career public administrators, and nonprofit and business executives. Several current and retired School of Public Administration and College of Public Affairs and Community Service faculty are elected NAPA Fellows, including John Bartle, Carol Ebdon, Angela Eikenberry, Mary Hamilton, Bob Houston, B.J. Reed, and Ethel Williams.

UNO & County Officials Training The Nebraska Association of Counties is partnering with the University of Nebraska to provide a year-long training course for county officials, the County Officials Online Network (COOL).

Several School of Public Administration faculty (Drs. Maher, Chen, Ebdon, Lee, and Jamieson), along with others across the NU system, participated in developing course modules for the initial year of this program.

Leaders across the state’s 93 counties participated in this course, which provides the opportunity to learn key concepts and best practices in public administration and to develop networks with peers.

MPA Student Spotlight: Marissa Cuellar Marissa became interested in public administration and policy while completing her Bachelor’s in Chicana and Chicano Studies at the University of New Mexico.

In learning about specific issues affecting Latino communities in the United States, she felt compelled to pursue a career studying and working to advocate for her community.

After being involved in local elections as a poll worker and canvassing for a Congressional candidate, she pursued an internship in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2021. During this internship Marissa served the constituents of Texas’ 16th Congressional District in El Paso, Texas, where her family is from, and learned more about policy issues unique to the district which have influenced many of her research interests throughout the MPA program, including her interests related to health and social policy, immigration policy, diversity, and representation of minorities in public administration.

With her work as a research assistant with UNO’s Office of Latino and Latin American Studies and because of knowledge gained through UNO’s MPA program, she will begin as a Science and Research Analyst in the Social and Economic Policy Division with Abt Associates this Spring.

2022 Graduation. Well done!

ARNOVA Conference

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OUR Partnership WITH NEXTGEN SERVICE EMBRACING INCLUSION

UNO’s Next Gen Leadership Corps and the Cross-Sector Collaborative Leadership Minor are gaining traction as this endeavor prepares students to become professionals with a sense of social responsibility and civic engagement.

will focus on the local challenge of affordable housing in Omaha.

Nationally, this program is expanding to other universities. Soon, our students are able to network through their own social media platform to engage and learn from hundreds of students across the U.S.

Scholarships are being awarded to our incoming 2022 class. Many will be joining UNO’s honors students in the new undergraduate course, Cross-Sector Collaborative Leadership, which is team taught

by SPA’s Dr. Maher and Dr. Lynn Harlan from the College of Business Administration.

UNO DreamMakers Scholarship to Make Dreams Come True

Students will learn how to utilize their networks and grow their leadership skills to connect the three sectors (nonprofit, public and private) to address a community problem. For the course, students

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CPACS and SPA are grateful for a generous donor who has pledged to donate funds for students who want to make a difference and improve our communities. The UNO DreamMakers Scholarship Fund is intended for incoming freshman who graduated from an Omaha Public School high school and will pursue the Cross-Sector Collaborative Leadership Minor. In addition, preference will be given to those who participated in programming through Girls, Inc., NorthStar Foundation, College Possible, Avenue Scholars or Partnership 4 Kids. We are excited to help make these dreams come true!

OUR Partnership WITH NASA NEBRASKA SPACE GRANT NASA NEBRASKA SPACE GRANT This year, we launched our Intro to NASA Fellowship program, which is targeted to freshman and sophomore students particularly from rural, low socio-economic statue/free and reduced lunch, and first-generation college student populations. Our first cohort saw 21 students awarded fellowships at various Nebraska institutions. We will be awarding the next round of fellowships for the second cohort very soon.

This past year, we also exceeded our goals for recruiting females and underrepresented minorities to our funding opportunities and programs. This was recognized in a letter from NASA; which said “Thank you for your continued great work and support of the Space Grant Consortia as we work to strengthen our program in the years to come.”

We continue to work closely with Nebraska Indian Community College. Students at NICC were awarded fellowships for a prairie restoration project at the Santee, NE campus.

Mini-Grants were also awarded to faculty at NICC for developing course work in Virtual Reality and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Shown below is a photo of students conducting field work at the prairie restoration site.

NASA Nebraska Space Grant staff also attended the first annual Tribal STEM Career Fair, held in South Sioux City, NE in October. Several academic units and organizations hosted tables related to opportunities available to tribal students.

The NASA Nebraska Space Grant is under the umbrella of the Aviation Institute at UNO. This program is part of NASA’s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Programone of 52 Space Grant Consortiums in the United States which promote aerospacerelated activities within the state since 1991.

We created a Commitment to Diversity statement and webpage that aligns with NASA STEM Strategic goals here.

EXPERIENCE

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PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS

The School of Public Administration offers Professional programs throughout the state and beyond. Under the direction of Ellen Freeman-Wakefield, Director of Professional Programs, we updated our programs and certifications in 2022.

CERTIFICATES | EXPERT INSTRUCTORS PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

The Nebraska Certified Public Manager®

(CPM) program offered by the School of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is a nationally-accredited, comprehensive management, development program. It is designed for current and aspiring managers in federal, state, local government and nonprofit organizations.

2022 Master and Certified Municipal Clerks

Certificate in Fundraising Management: With nearly one million nonprofits competing for the same contributions and facing the same cutbacks, fundraising professionals need an advantage. This comprehensive, noncredit program provides essential training in vital areas of fundraising such as annual giving, capital campaigns, corporate giving, donor stewardship, and marketing. This year saw a new, updated program for this certificate.

Certificate in Emerging Nonprofit Leadership:

These classes will help you hone your managerial and leadership skills. The program will help you develop competencies to better understand your role as a manager, increase your self-awareness, build relationships and communicate effectively, manage diverse work groups, and manage change in yourself and your organization.

Nebraska Municipal Clerk Institute and Academy

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The Nebraska Municipal Clerk Institute and Academy is an annual continuing education professional training and development program held in Nebraska during March of each year for municipal clerks in Nebraska. This training program is one of a few accredited programs in the country.

ACTIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY UNO PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS 2021/2022

5 TOP ACCOMPLISHMENTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS Facilitated a successful full week of NE clerks institute and academy with 225+ people.

Two day conference for Great Plains Government Finance Officers Association with 70 people from Nebraska and Iowa.

Feeding South Dakota contracted with us to facilitate a six week training for Nonprofit Leadership; a total of 17 people participated.

Facilitated a two-day Leadership and Team Building for Council Bluffs Department of Economic Development.

Graduated eight people from the CPM program.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS Sarpy County | South Dakota | Nebraska Municipal Clerks Association | International Institute Municipal Clerks Association

Certified Public Managers (CPM) Alumni Achievements: Craig Gabel (2016 CPM Graduate) Promoted to Warden of Tecumseh Security Prison and now runs the highest security prison in the state.

Brandon Garrett promoted to Chief of Staff for Council Bluffs Mayor Brandon M. Garrett, CPM, AICP, Chief of Staff, City

of Council Bluffs, IA. Brandon has recently been promoted to Chief of Staff of the City of Council Bluffs from his previous position. “I initially took the CPM training as the new Community Development Director for Council Bluffs. The CPM background helped me augment my experience and education in city planning with a broader public management.”

Megan Cruickshank, Associate Warden, Tecumseh State Correctional Institution: Megan has been promoted four times since completing CPM in 2012, the first promotion occurring only a few months after completing the CPM program. According to Megan, “For me, CPM played a significant role in readying myself for higher level positions. The program was comprehensive, and gave me the solid foundation I needed for administrative work in the public sector. It was challenging, but well worth the work I put in. The CPM team at UNO was extremely supportive and went out of their way to ensure I received any and all support I needed. I think it is something people should consider pursuing, whether to prepare themselves for promotional opportunities or as a manager looking to improve.”

Matt Howey, CPM 2020, had his 2020 CPM project implemented

by Sarpy County Sheriffs Office: Sarpy County Sheriffs Office Entry-Level Exam Process.

ONGOING CLASSES FOR NONPROFIT AND PUBLIC PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENTS CAN BE FOUND AT: SPA.UNOMHA.EDU

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SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

CONNECTIONS & OUTREACH UNO encourages our students to be involved with NCMA & ICMA. (Nebraska City/County Management Association; and the International Association).

UNO’s NCMA Education Committee has been established for the purpose of encouraging well-rounded training and networking opportunities for students and current administrators through academic and applicable sources.

Starting this year, Dr. Danbee Lee has been on the NCMA Education Committee, representing the liaison for UNO. Cody Brem has also been on the committee as a representative of the UNOICMA Student Chapter.

A current agenda of NCMA education committee meeting is organizing the NCMA conference in June this year. We expect to strengthen the connection between UNO and NCMA through education, training programs, and consultations.

Each year, the College of Public Affairs and Community Service recognizes Alumni who have made valuable contributions. This year, six SPA alumni were recognized, representing our college well. Congrats!

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INVOLVING OUR STUDENTS

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

ALUMNI AWARDS

In Memory: Brad Ashford UNO Public Administration Champion In April, 2022, Congressman Brad Ashford passed away in Omaha, Nebraska after a short battle with brain cancer.

Congressman Ashford was a member of the NextGen Service family at UNO where he was a champion and key leader in the development of the program. While he had so much more to give, he will long be known by his rich legacy of pragmatic leadership, cross-sector collaboration and public service.

His pragmatism and flexibility—he changed political parties at least four times—served him well in the nonpartisan Unicameral legislature, where he was a committee chairman, dealmaker, and great advocate for Omaha. It arguably served him better in a fractious Congress, where he brokered a deal between the Obama Administration and the Republican House to create a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership financing mechanism for a long-delayed VA hospital in Omaha.

After leaving Congress, Ashford engaged with UNO to help governments build capacity to structure effective cross-sector partnerships. regardless of their chosen major. UNO Dean John Bartle saw the obvious opportunity to engage a lifelong public servant to help equip rising leaders with the skills and values they will need to serve.

Even near the end of his life, Brad Ashford continued to work to secure a bright future for Omaha and Nebraska: The UNO NextGen Leadership Corps he helped launch will host its first cohort of fifty students in the fall of 2022. He will be sorely missed UNO SPA YEAR IN REVIEW 2021/22 |

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PUBLICATIONS John Bartle: Innovative Infrastructure Finance: A Guide for State and Local Governments, Palgrave Macmillan; Gender-Responsive Budgeting: A Budget Reform to Address Gender Inequity, Public Administration; Debate: Gender Responsive Budgeting -- Moving Toward Equity for Women and Men, Public Money & Management; Gender Responsive Budgeting: A Global Perspective, Edward Elgar Publishing; Infusing Equity into Public Budgets: The Gender Perspective, PA Times; Review of Bruce D. McDonald III and Meagan M. Jordan, Teaching Public Budgeting and Finance: A Practical Guide, Journal of Public Affairs Education Jodi Benenson: Assessing and improving political learning and engagement on college campuses, eJournal of Public Affairs; Building Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity into Graduate Student, Political Science & Politics; Faculty Fellows: A College by College Approach to Increasing Engagement, International Association for Research on Service Learning and Community Engagement Scholarship; Teaching about Pandemics and Inequality While Living Through Those Realities, The Conversation; Uncertainty and Unrest: A Collaborative Pedagogical Response to Pandemics, Protests, and Policy, Journal of Public Affairs Education Tara Bryan: Conducting and utilizing evaluation for multiple accountabilities: A study of nonprofit evaluation capacities, Nonprofit Management and Leadership Journal; Teaching about Pandemics and Inequality While Living Through Those Realities, The Conversation; Uncertainty and Unrest: A Collaborative Pedagogical Response to Pandemics, Protests, and Policy, Journal of Public Affairs Education Yu-Che Chen: Regulatory Compliance and Socio-Demographic Analyses of Civil Unmanned Aircraft System Users, Technology in Society; Smart Data-driven Policy on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS): Analysis of Drone Users in U.S. Cities, Smart Cities Carol Ebdon: Asset Maintenance Practices and Challenges in U.S. Counties, Journal of Public Affairs Education; Capital Management Capacity: Conceptual Development and Pilot Testing of a Framework, Public Works Management and Policy; Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Short-Term Collaborative Networks: A Case Study of Communities Putting Prevention to Work Nutrition Initiatives in Douglas County, NE, Lexington; Fiscal Effects of Interlocal Collaboration: Evidence from Nebraska Counties, International Review of Administrative Sciences; The Travel of Participatory Budgeting: A Multi-Disciplinary Literature Review, Public Works Management & Policy; Uncertainty and Unrest: A Collaborative Pedagogical Response to Pandemics, Protests, and Policy, Local Government Studies

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| UNO SPA YEAR IN REVIEW 2021/22

Angela Eikenberry: Collaborative philanthropy and doing practically relevant, critical research, Researching Voluntary Action: Innovations and Challenges Policy Press; Do giving circles democratize philanthropy? Donor identity and giving to historically marginalized groups, Voluntas; Giving Circles and the Civic and Political Participation of Collaborative Philanthropists, Springer; How do foundations support (anti-)racism? A critical race theory perspective on philanthropy and racial equity., Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing; Illustrating the Value of Critical Methodologies through Third Sector Gender Studies: A Case for Pluralism, Voluntas; The marketization of the third sector? Trends, impacts and implications, Research Handbook on Nonprofit Governance - Edward Elgar Barbara Gomez-Aguinaga: Immigration and Gender as Social Determinants of Mental Health during the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Case of US Latina/os, University of Houston’s Arte Publico Press; Latina Leadership Lessons: Fifty Latinas Speak, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health; Messaging ‘en Español:’ The Impact of Spanish Language on Linked Fate among Bilingual Latinos, International Journal of Press/Politics; One Group, Two Worlds? Latino Perceptions of Policy Salience among Mainstream and Spanish-Language News Consumers, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health; Race, Ethnicity, Nativity and Perceptions of Health Risk during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health; Spanish-language News Consumption and Latino Reactions to COVID-19, Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics; The Importance of State and Local Variation in Black-Brown Attitudes: How Latinos View Blacks and How Blacks Affect Their Views, Social Science Quarterly Nuri Heckler: Building Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity into Graduate Student, Political Science & Politics; COVID’s Influence on Black Lives Matter: How Interest Convergence Explains the 2020 Call for Equality and What That Means for Administrative Racism, Public Integrity; Crypto-governance: The Ethical Implications of Blockchain in Public Service, Public Integrity; Freedom of speech v. racial justice: Whiteness, antiparallelism, and becoming-minor, Administrative Theory & Praxis; Managing masculinity in public organizations, Edward Elgar Publishing; Reckoning with Theoretical Research: A Heuristic for Gauging and Writing Public Administration Theory, Administrative Theory & Praxis; Spatial density of placebased and crime-reduction oriented nonprofits and crime, Urban Affairs Review; Women and Men Municipal Managers Doing and Undoing Gender, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory (J-PART)

Jim Harrold: Uncertainty and Unrest: A Collaborative Pedagogical Response to Pandemics, Protests, and Policy, Journal of Public Affairs Education Trang Hoang: Beyond A Numbers Game? Impact of Diversity on The Perception of Organizational Justice, Nonprofit Management & Leadership; Fiscal Competition and Pension Reforms, Public Budgeting and Finance; Looking at the Nonprofit AccountabilityCharitable Donations Relationship through the Publicness Lens, Public Administration Review; Nonprofit External Communications: General Management, Public Relations, or Fundraising Tool?, Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs Bryce Hoflund: Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Short-Term Collaborative Networks: A Case Study of Communities Putting Prevention to Work Nutrition Initiatives in Douglas County, NE, Lexington

66 PUBLICATIONS, PUBLISHED ACROSS 40 PUBLISHING PLATFORMS. FACULTY AND PHD STUDENTS COLLABORATED TO PUBLISH 4 ARTICLES. EMBRACING INCLUSION

Thomas Jamieson: Building Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity into Graduate Student, Journal of Public Affairs Education; Our Issue or their Issue? Media Coverage and Framing of the Zika Virus Epidemic, International Journal of Communication; Race, Ethnicity, Nativity and Perceptions of Health Risk during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Uncertainty and Unrest: A Collaborative Pedagogical Response to Pandemics, Protests, and Policy, Disasters Jooho Lee: Public vs. Public: Balancing the Competing Public Value of Participatory Budgeting, Public Administration Quarterly Craig Maher: Do Tax and Expenditure Limitations Exacerbate Rising Income Inequality?, Economics and Politics; Framework for a Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Large-Scale Food Processing Plant in a Small Rural Community: The Case of Costco’s Poultry Plant in Fremont, NE, Lexington Books; Fiscal Effects of Interlocal Collaboration: Evidence from Nebraska Counties, Local Government Studies Njoki Mwarumba: Building Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity into Graduate Student, Journal of Public Affairs Education, Political Science & Politics; Uncertainty and Unrest: A Collaborative Pedagogical Response to Pandemics, Protests, and Policy, Journal of Public Affairs Education Daniel Scheller: Improving Fire Department Turnout Times: Training v. Sanctions in a High Public Service Motivation Environment; Pandemic Primary: The Interactive Effects of COVID-19 Prevalence and Age on Voter Turnout, Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties; Revisiting Recent Findings on Gated Communities and Racial Homogeneity, International Public Management Journal

UNO SPA YEAR IN REVIEW 2021/22 |

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UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

A SUSTAINABLE DEGREE

FOR THE FUTURE. Nationally-ranked degree programs with award-winning faculty---the School of Public Administration is a powerhouse of innovators, academics, and social entrepreneurs with an unforgettable reputation.

LEARN MORE AT SPA.UNOMAHA.EDU 402.554.2625 | spa.unomaha.edu | facebook The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation being taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity.

WE OFFER Bachelor of Science in Aviation Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management Master of Public Administration Master of Science in Urban Studies Ph.D. in Public Administration Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management Graduate Certificate in Public Management and Minors in several areas