Past Participants
Nonprofit Corps Fellows:
Caleb Baker
MPA ‘11
Concentrations: Nonprofit Management & Policy Analysis
Middle Way House
Outreach and Awareness Fellow
Being a part of the Service Corps program allows me to fund my graduate education while continuing to attain hands on public service experience. My placement is with the Middle Way House Domestic Violence Shelter where I perform tasks related to publicity and outreach. Being a part of the Middle Way team gives me the opportunity to apply my MPA coursework to real world problems, an experience that is both personally rewarding and academically enriching.
Susanna Foxworthy
MPA ‘11
Concentration: Nonprofit Management
Area 10 Agency on Aging
PR/Marketing Fellow
At Area 10 Agency on Aging, I have had the opportunity to learn about public relations and marketing for nonprofit agencies. The work atmosphere is extremely positive, and everyone is committed helping our area's seniors. Service Corps gives me real world experience, and I often apply material I've learned in class to my work at Area 10. My current projects include designing and distributing an Over 60 Directory and Guide for seniors, helping seniors sign up for Medicare D, and organizing Area 10's annual fundraiser- Flapjack's Cocoa Cafe.
Katie Loudin
MPA ‘10
Concentrations: Nonprofit Management & Policy Analysis
Monroe County United Ministries (MCUM)
Development/Special Events Fellow
As a Service Corps Fellow, I have increased the amount of funds available to MCUM by composing and mailing the annual letter, writing monthly planned giving articles for the newsletter, setting up and managing the holiday baked goods sale, and assisting with the spring luncheon and silent auction, among other tasks. I have used the skills learned in the V558 fundraising course to improve my fundraising effectiveness and messaging as well as analytical techniques learned through other classes to evaluate the end results of projects. I have been able to make recommendations to my supervisor about how to improve future fundraising efforts based on these results as we continue to build our fundraising portfolio to ensure MCUM's long-term success.
Stewart Meek
MPA ‘10
Concentrations: Local Government Management, Public Management, & Public Financial Administration
Bloomington Hospital Positive Link
Program Evaluation Coordinator
The Service Corps program provides me with the unique opportunity to apply what I am learning in the classroom while I am still in school. As the Program Evaluation Coordinator for Positive Link, I created an organizational logic model, team-specific logic models, and evaluation models by identifying organizational inputs, outputs, and outcomes. Additionally, I developed a comprehensive database that can be used to better collect and summarize data for the purpose of program evaluation. I am thankful for the chance to have worked with, and learned from, true public servants. It is also tremendously gratifying to know that my work will continue to benefit Positive Link and the community long after I have moved on from SPEA and Bloomington.
Public Corps Fellows:
Elizabeth Cooke
MPA/MSES ‘11
Concentrations: Sustainable Development & Energy Policy
Monroe County Highway Department
Storm Water Fellow
As the Storm Water Fellow at the Monroe County Highway Department, I have had the opportunity to learn how public and private entities work together to meet environmental standards. For example, I have attended on-site meetings between county employees and local developers to determine how to minimize run-off from construction sites. In addition, I have been involved in the process of hiring consultants to design and implement a storm water utility for the county. Finally, I have been personally responsible for maintaining the county's storm water website, developing educational materials to inform the public about rain gardens and other techniques to improve storm water quality, and using ArcGIS to map the storm water inlets, outlets, and conduits throughout the county.
Brandon Dennison
MPA '11
Concentrations: Nonprofit Management & Social Entrepreneurship
Bloomington Housing Authority
Capital Fund Fellow
I fully realized the benefit of my Service Corps experience during a particular Public Management class. Our professor lectured on procedures and processes used in government. During the lecture, I realized that I had participated in nearly every single procedure discussed.
While I've gained a lot from the experience, I also feel I've given a lot too. As a Service Corps fellow, I've been able to truly meet community needs. I've worked with residents to form a new Neighborhood Association, improve their bus stops, and renovate their infrastructure.
Alyson Jordan
MPA ‘11
Concentrations: Policy Analysis & Nonprofit Management
City of Bloomington, Office of the Mayor
Communications Fellow
My Service Corps position with the City of Bloomington Mayor's Office blends my undergraduate background in English with my policy and management studies at SPEA. Working in communications emphasizes the importance of media and marketing when promoting local government's services and events; I developed and currently maintain the City's social media outlets by creating videos, photos, and text updates. Additionally, I have actively engaged in policy research, legislative development, and interaction with the public through my multi-faceted role in the Mayor's Office.
Andrew Perry
MPA ‘10
Concentrations: Public Financial Administration & Policy Analysis
City of Bloomington, Public Works Department
Accounting and Finance Fellow
My service corps placement with the public works department of the City of Bloomington has afforded me the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the fundamental services provided by the various divisions comprising the department. My work has ranged from analyzing strategic planning proposals for the sanitation division to researching downtown parking initiatives for the street division. I have incorporated a number of projects related to my Service Corps position into course assignments, requiring the application of classroom concepts to real world challenges.