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From College to Congress

SPIA

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.
2025 PhD PA Graduates

Jun 10, 2025

Department of Public Administration Celebrates Milestone in Educating Doctoral Students

NC State’s Department of Public Administration is celebrating a significant milestone: 100 students have now earned their Ph.D. through the program.  This milestone represents more than just a number for the department, which is housed within the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA). Launched in 1997, the program has built upon the strong foundation…
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,…
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

Faculty Spotlight: Graham Ambrose

“How do you help communities come together to make decisions that will help the people in that community?”   That’s a question Graham Ambrose, assistant professor of Public Administration, has been exploring for years, and what he found in his investigations surprised him. “There are a lot of standards that we talk about in theory…

Mar 17, 2025

Update on the PA Alumni Society – Message from President Alexis Addison

The PA Alumni Society exists to convene and serve as an on-going professional association for graduates of the Ph.D. and MPA programs. 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. In April 2024, we hosted our Annual…

Mar 17, 2025

Update on the MPA Program with MPA Director, Dr. Mandi Stewart

It’s been an exciting year for me, as I have taken on a new role as director of the Master of Public Administration program as of July 2024. This opportunity has given me a new vantage point to examine the appeal of our program to prospective candidates, observe the wealth of experience and potential among our…
a stretch of highway ends in a washed out ravine

Oct 9, 2024

What Role Do Governments Play After a Disaster? Will Hurricane Helene Change Anything?

What should the federal government do after a disaster? What should state and local governments do? And what lessons might policymakers take from Hurricane Helene? Professor of Public Administration Tom Birkland weighs in.

Feb 16, 2024

Online Leadership in the Public Sector Program Rises to No. 4 in National Rankings

The Leadership in the Public Sector program ranked No. 4 in the nation on the 2024 best online undergraduate programs by U.S. News & World Report.

Lily Vaughn stands on a balcony, with the Capitol in the background.

Sep 12, 2023

From College to Congress

Political science major Lily Vaughn spent two months this summer on Capitol Hill as a congressional intern.