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MPA Alumni Spotlight: J.R.Griffin II

Alumni

Local government day

Mar 31, 2026

Message from the Director

Earlier this month, alumni visited campus and spent part of their Saturday with our students for our 2nd Annual Career Crawl—rotating one-on-one conversations between students and alumni for resume feedback, career insights, and job-seeking advice. Later that week, our students were invited into state and local agencies to see the work of public service first-hand.…
Headshot of Elizabeth Severt.

Aug 21, 2025

From Environmental Compliance to Strategic Leadership: Elizabeth Severt, LPS ’25

Elizabeth Severt transformed her role in environmental compliance into a mission for lasting change through the NC State online Leadership in the Public Sector program.
Andrew Bolomey with his family.

Jun 18, 2025

Mission Complete: Andrew Bolomey Becomes His Family’s First College Graduate

After a decade-long detour through federal service and military life, Andrew Bolomey returned to NC State to finish what he started, becoming the first in his family to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Mar 31, 2026

SPIA Alumni Lead Town of Morrisville

In the Town of Morrisville, six staff embody NC State’s robust pipeline to local government leadership. Each refined their public service motivation and honed essential skills through SPIA programs: Administrative Officers Management Program (AOMP), MPA, Ph.D, and Political Science. Together, these staff now serve one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing towns.

Apr 2, 2026

Message from PA Alumni President

The PA Alumni Society exists to convene and serve as an on-going professional association for graduates of the MPA program. To achieve our mission to advance and support public sector leaders, we seek to maintain and strengthen the relationship between the program, current students and alumni. On Wednesday, April 29, 5:00 – 8:30 pm, the…
Afternoon sunlight streams through the fall foliage at Wolf Plaza.

Jun 10, 2025

Public Administration Ph.D. Alumni in North Carolina

The Department of Public Administration has graduated its 100th Ph.D. student in May 2025. Many of our alumni have gone on to make strong contributions to our state.

head shot of Bill Chandler

Jun 10, 2025

William C. Chandler, the First Ph.D. Graduate in Public Administration

William C. (Bill) Chandler, (Ph.D., 2001) was the first student to graduate with a Ph.D. in public administration from NC State and has been a sworn law enforcement officer in North Carolina for more than 47 years.  A retired director of the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Division (ALE) in the Department of Public Safety,…

Jun 1, 2025

Alumni-Funded Scholarships Support Summer Interns

From the North Carolina General Assembly to Capitol Hill, political science students gained hands-on experience through donor-supported internships.

photos of Local Government day speakers

Apr 10, 2025

MPA Students Take Part in Local Government Day

On Friday, March 28, NC State University’s Department of Public Administration held “Local Government Day” at the North Carolina Rural Center in Raleigh. Students in the MPA program learned about local government vocations and asked questions to current leaders as they considered roles that might suit their career aspirations.   MPA director Mandi Stewart and Traci…

Mar 17, 2025

MPA Alumni Spotlight: J.R.Griffin II

John Rodney “J.R.” Griffin II is the emergency services branch manager for the Division of Emergency Management under the NC Department of Public Safety. The Emergency Services Branch is home to all of the State level response programs, including Regional Response Hazmat Teams, Urban Search & Rescue Teams, Structural Technical Specialist Teams, Helo-Aquatic Search &…