\u201cNever Quit Learning!\u201d by Master of Public Administration Student & Student Veterans Resource Center Employee, Helen Budd<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m finally done!\u201d<\/p>\n
Famous last words!\u00a0 After I graduated with a Master of Business Administration from Cleary University in 2009 with a concentration in Non-Profit Management, I thought my higher education career had finally ended and I could read a good fiction novel!\u00a0 That was the case for a while, and then I moved to the University of Michigan-Flint in 2013 where a whole new world of different programs beckoned.<\/p>\n
It took me a couple of years to take this next significant leap into academia, but the Master of Public Administration was my first and obvious choice.\u00a0 I am service-oriented which is clearly reflected in my career path, serving student veterans who have earned various education benefits and tuition assistance resources during their service.\u00a0 In addition, I serve dependents of military service members who are entitled to VA benefits in certain situations.\u00a0 I have now worked in this kind of role for 12 years.<\/p>\n
Obviously, working with VA benefits in my current role at UM-Flint (Go Blue!) requires a certain level of knowledge of federal and state regulations and the intergovernmental relationships that are involved.\u00a0 Additionally, there are many non-profit resources and peer mentor programs for veterans and dependents.\u00a0 What better choice, then, for a second Master\u2019s degree than the MPA?\u00a0 I am excited that this degree will equip me with essential knowledge, should I seek a position somewhere in the state, federal or local government, which is the next logical step for me in my chosen vocation.\u00a0 Preferably somewhere warmer, where it is 70 degrees year-round \u2026 like San Diego, California.\u00a0 I\u2019ve already selected my corner office facing the San Diego Harbor where I can watch the helicopters and ships all day.<\/p>\n
Joking aside, the combination of my MBA in Non-Profit Management and the Master of Public Administration will equip me with the comprehensive realm of knowledge that is expected of public servants and administrators of non-profit organizations.\u00a0 I know for certain that I will not pursue a career in law, but it will be helpful to have an in-depth knowledge of administrative law and public policy. \u00a0My current courses \u2013 PUB 500 \u2013 Politics, Policy, and Public Administration with Dr. Daniel Hummel, and PUB 519 \u2013 Law and Administrative Process with Dr. Saks McManaway \u2013 combine some of the same concepts.\u00a0 What I may not understand in one class is usually clarified in the other.\u00a0 The classes are interesting (despite their titles!) and I am learning a great deal.<\/p>\n
One highlight of the Fall semester \u2013 I attended my first football game at the Big House where the Wolverines beat Rutgers! \u00a0I traveled to Ann Arbor on the bus with alumni of UM-Flint.\u00a0 This is an annual outing for homecoming, and a lot of fun!\u00a0 Now that I have spent that time with some really great people and taken in the atmosphere of the Big House, I can\u2019t wait to become a fully-fledged member of the UM-Flint Alumni Association!<\/p>\n
Go Blue!<\/p>\n
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You can see more of Helen’s career by visiting the Student Veterans Resource Center webpage<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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