NKU Master of Public Administration

06/04/2026

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to start your MPA … this is it.

We are accepting Fall 2026 applications AND the application fee is currently being waived! Don’t sit on this — future you will be glad you applied.

NKU’s MPA program is built for people who want to implement real policies, manage public resources responsibly, and solve the community challenges that matter most.

Fall course highlights: PAD 560 Community and Economic Development; PAD 622 Volunteer & Community Engagement; PAD 562 Managing Nonprofit Organizations and more!

Winter Lineup: PAD 563 Arts Administration study abroad in New Zealand!

To apply, you’ll need:
• Online application
• 300–400 word essay
• Two recommendations
• Official transcripts
• Writing sample

Reach out to Missy Gish ([email protected]) with questions - and please share with or tag anyone who might be interested!

06/01/2026

Happy birthweek to Missy Gish! (It's a big year for her.) 😁 Many of you may know that Missy has served as NKU MPA Coordinator for more than 10 years, but you may not be aware that she's worked at our university for a total of 22 years, and she's a double Norse alum -- bachelor's and master's degrees.

Missy is responsible for many activities that support our MPA degree, Nonprofit Management & Leadership certificate, Public Service minor, and various grad and undergrad micro-credentials. These activities include (but are not limited to) program marketing and recruitment, student onboarding and advising, event organizing and hosting, student and alumni communications, fundraising (especially on NKU Founders' Day!), and assisting with program accreditation and assessment.

Those of you who interact with Missy know that she works with an exceptional level of dedication, collaboration, creativity, attention to detail, and caring. But most importantly, she brings fun and joy to the people around her!

Please join us in wishing Missy the best year ever ... and the best decade ever! 🥳

05/29/2026

Dr. Shamima Ahmed co-authored an article on domestic violence in Tajikistan, which was recently published by the International Journal of Social Science Research and Review. This study is an extension of her work in the Republic of Tajikistan, which started in 2022 through The Fulbright Program.

Dr. Ahmed worked on this research with Takhminai Mirali, whom she met while serving as a Fulbright Specialist at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with Tajik people who had experienced domestic violence directly or indirectly. Their article discusses the pervasiveness and severity of domestic violence in Tajik society, and it concludes with recommendations to address this significant issue, based their interviews.

Although domestic violence is a severe issue in Tajikistan, Dr. Ahmed noted that there have only been a few scholarly articles on it. "This may be one of my publications that I am really proud of since it will hopefully make a few more people aware of the tragic reality in Tajik society," she said.

Congratulations on the publication of this important study! Those interested in learning more can access a PDF of the full journal article here: https://ijssrr.com/journal/article/view/3322.

05/27/2026

The MPA Public Service Scholarship is designed for MPA students who have demonstrated a commitment to serving others and making positive impacts on individuals, communities, and society. This may include providing needed services and working to improve quality of life, typically through government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Applicants must be new or current NKU MPA students and write a one-page essay describing their demonstrated commitment to public service. Preference is given to students who exhibit financial need.

Interested students should submit a resume along with the one-page essay to MPA Coordinator Missy Gish at [email protected] by Monday, July 6th at 11:59 p.m.

05/22/2026

During the Spring semester, our Fund Raising & Management students (PAD 621) were involved with several community-based, experiential-learning projects! One group worked with Violeta Colman of Esperanza Latino Center to develop:
• an individual giving program called "Trees of Hope" or "Árboles de la Esperanza";
• guidelines for donor messaging and other communications;
• a spreadsheet of potential grant makers including key information such as priority areas and target populations; and
• two draft grant proposals that incorporate statement of need, measurable outcomes, and budget information.

Another group of students partnered with James Johnson of The Campbell Conservancy, Inc. to share information and ideas on:
• creating an individual giving framework with tools such as donor messaging, an informational flyer, and an FAQ sheet;
• strengthening social media to enhance individual giving; and
• developing a strategy and identifying potential funders for an educational signage project.

Thanks to Violeta and James for meeting with the PAD 621 class multiple times and providing feedback during the semester! Through these service-learning projects, it is clear that the students SERVED nonprofit organizations and communities while they LEARNED more deeply about theories, concepts, and practices in fund raising and management. ⭐⭐

05/18/2026

We had such a great time catching up with alumni, current students, and prospective students at the MPA celebration last week that… we barely remembered to take photos😄

Even so, we managed to capture a few moments. This annual tradition is one we look forward to every year, and we’re grateful to everyone who made it so fun.

Special shout out to Dr. O for hosting!

Swipe through the photos we did get - and we can’t wait to see you at the next MPA event! 💛🖤

05/07/2026

One week from today🎉

Join us for the NKU MPA Summer Celebration. All alumni, current students, and prospective students are welcome!

Thursday, May 14
6–8 PM
Dr. Julie Olberding’s house

This casual, fun gathering has become an annual tradition, and we’d love to see you there!

RSVP to [email protected]

05/06/2026

Many thanks to Jessica E. Miranda, Hamilton County Auditor, for speaking to students in our Budgeting Techniques and Applications (PAD 511) class this week! Her presentation on annual financial reports and other data-sharing tools was very relevant and meaningful to this class, which is taught by Dr. Darrin Wilson. 👏👏

Thank you to Dr. Darrin Wilson for inviting us to present to graduate students in the NKU Master of Public Administration program! We appreciated the chance to highlight how our website’s resources, such as the "Tax Distribution" tab and the Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports, serve as vital tools for both the people of Hamilton County and informed local leadership.

05/04/2026

It's commencement week! Congratulations to our newest MPA graduates -- Rachel, Jeanett, Chris, Nick and Matt.

Commencement is this Saturday, May 9th, starting at 10:00 a.m. at Truist Arena on Northern Kentucky University's campus. Everyone is welcome to celebrate with us!

05/01/2026

We enjoyed spending a Community Hour with students from the NKU Votruba Young Scholars Academy (YSA) this month! We talked about the MPA program, their academic journeys, and the goals they’re setting for the future.

YSA offers an immersive dual credit, early college experience for high school juniors and seniors who attend NKU full time while earning both high school and college credit. We recently learned that Kentucky is investing $5.4 million over the biennium to support this incredible program! Our goal is to see some of these outstanding students continue their academic careers at NKU as future MPA scholars 😉

Congratulations to the entire YSA team and thank you for sharing your scholars with us!