WCU MPA Program

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WCU MPA Program

Welcome to the Western Carolina University Masters of Public Affairs Program! Follow us for job postings, upcoming events, and more

This page is intended to build community among WCU MPA alumni, students, faculty, staff, friends, and prospective students. Welcome to the official page of the Western Carolina University Masters of Public Affairs Program! Follow us for job postings, upcoming events, and more! Visit our website for more information: http://www.wcu.edu/learn/departments-schools-colleges/cas/social-sciences/poliscipublicaffairs/mpa/

05/18/2026

Appalachian Resilience Kitchen (ARK) is a new nonprofit organization founded by MPA program students Ashley Tee and Lindsey Davis. ARK exists to expand access to free prepared meals in rural WNC communities, by transforming rescued ingredients and giving food new life. Both Ashley and Lindsey used their capstone projects to develop ARK’s operational and governance strategies, applying their learning from the MPA program.

05/09/2026

Congratulations graduates!! We will miss you but we can’t wait to see all the amazing things you will do. Go Cats!

05/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who came to our spring MPA capstone event last week! The capstone projects are the culmination of our students' learning in the MPA program. At the capstone evening, each student presents about their project and answers questions as part of a student panel. We had a wonderful group of projects this year and are so proud of our students!
We were so grateful to have so many of our alumni, sponsors and community partners present. A particular thank you to Bryan Queen for opening the evening with a reflection on public service. We also want to congratulate all of our graduates and award winners!

04/30/2026

MPA Students in the Nonprofit Leadership and Sustainability course completed a service learning project this week with Operation Gateway . Over the course of the semester, the students analyzed financial and mission-impact data to produce a Sustainability Matrix Report to support OG as they carry out their mission to leverage lived experience to transform lives and reduce the stigma of recovery and reentry.

We can also certainly thank OG for supporting the student's learning!

04/21/2026

Discover what our faculty members are researching! You can read the rest of Dr. Cooper's article by clicking this link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1089/elj.2023.0048

04/16/2026

Each of our MPA students complete a capstone project as the culminating experience of the MPA program. Our student, Masen Sherrill's project focuses on how different policy approaches can be used to address displacement in Asheville’s legacy neighborhoods. "Asheville’s rapid population growth and redevelopment have driven up property values and increased property taxes, placing significant pressure on long-term residents in these communities. These rising housing costs disproportionately impact low-income and historically marginalized residents, many of whom have fewer financial resources to absorb higher tax burdens or resist market pressures to sell their homes. As a result, many long-term residents face displacement, reinforcing existing inequities in housing stability, wealth retention, and the ability to remain rooted in their communities.

In response to these challenges, I am examining a range of strategies, including displacement tools, tax cuts, nonprofit work, and zoning approaches such as accessory dwelling units. I am also exploring the potential of preservation districts as a new approach. The idea of preservation districts emerged through conversations with Sekou Coleman, which led me to evaluate how this type of designation could support both affordability and cultural preservation. My research on displacement tools is also informed by ongoing collaboration with Micaela Alvarez, a fellow graduate student in the program whose work focuses more directly on that area.

This work is informed by direct engagement with both community leaders and policymakers. I have worked with Sekou Coleman of the Legacy Neighborhoods Coalition and have met with city officials from Asheville to better understand current policies and the challenges of implementation. These experiences ensure that my analysis reflects both community priorities and real-world policy considerations."

04/08/2026

Congratulations to our 1997 MPA alumna and Jackson County native, Janna Deitz! Janna has joined the WCU Division of Advancement as director of development and corporate partnerships for the College of Engineering and Technology. Below is an excerpt from the announcement, with a link to the article:

“'Janna returns to our community with a deep understanding of the region and a long-standing commitment to advancing educational and economic opportunities in Western North Carolina,” said de la Torre. “Her background includes extensive work in fundraising, corporate and foundation engagement, and federal grant acquisition – experience that will support the College of Engineering and Technology’s continued growth and strategic priorities.'

Deitz brings to the position a blend of higher education, nonprofit and federal government experience, along with a demonstrated record of securing philanthropic support and building meaningful external partnership, de la Torre said.

Deitz has held leadership roles with the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, Library of Congress and American Political Science Association, where she directed major academic and public engagement initiatives and managed multimillion-dollar gift and grant-funded programs.

'Janna also spent 15 years as a tenured professor, giving her a strong foundation in working collaboratively with faculty and academic leaders,” de la Torre said. “Her experience developing strategic outreach plans, stewarding donor and partner relationships and elevating institutional visibility will be a tremendous asset to our Advancement team and to the College of Engineering and Technology.'

In her new role, Deitz will work closely with the college’s dean, Randy Collins, and its faculty and staff to seek external support as the university moves forward with the expansion of engineering programs and the construction of a new engineering building."

Read more here! https://www.wcu.edu/stories/posts/jackson-native-wcu-alumna-named-development-director-for-engineering-technology-college.aspx

03/29/2026

Scroll to learn what some of our students are reading and doing in our MPA program right now!

03/23/2026

The department was sorry to hear about the passing of Mike Clampitt, State Representative from district 119, which includes Jackson County. Representative Clampitt was always generous with his time and attended many events, debates, and speakers associated with the department over the years. He was a kind person and a committed public servant. We will miss him.

03/19/2026

Our 2023 alumni, Dawson Spenser, was recently featured on WCU's Western Wednesdays! You can also check out the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_7KGF1saJs

03/10/2026

I am a Peer Support Specialist at Vaya Health, which is a Managed Care Organization for Medicaid recipients in North Carolina. A great thing about my job is that I got it through the internship I did while pursuing my Master of Public Affairs degree. I was an intern with Vaya, and then I noticed the position become available and was qualified due to a certification program I had completed prior. I applied for the job and was chosen for an interview. It has been almost four years since I started in September 2021. As a student at Western Carolina University, I knew that I wanted to continue my work in the public mental health sector. Vaya was the obvious choice, as we manage the public mental health services for 32 counties in North Carolina and are based in Asheville (where I live). In my job, I work with a caseload of about 50 people with mental health challenges as I help them navigate our housing program called Transitions to Community Living. I have a great team and a great supervisor!
To learn more about Nina’s work, click the link to watch a full interview: https://vimeo.com/851272525

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http://info.wcu.edu/mpa

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