As we approach the end of our Spring 2023 quarter, I am very happy to say that we have an outstanding cohort of Master of Public Administration students who are ready to “depart to serve.” Students in the Olympia and Tacoma cohorts are actively engaged in capstone projects that analyze the impact of food truck regulations on economic mobility; evaluate the equity implications from the annexation decisions made by Washington municipalities; and assess strategies for addressing nursing shortages in the Pacific Northwest, among many other projects of public importance.  We are especially happy to note that this year’s hooding ceremony will include students in the MPA program’s second Tacoma cohort, and plans are under way to begin teaching the third cohort in Tacoma this coming Fall.  Applications for both Olympia and Tacoma are being accepted through July 10^th.

I am very excited to let you know that over the fall and winter quarters, we successfully concluded searches for two new full-time MPA faculty members. Beginning in Fall 2023, Dr. Spencer Brien and Dr. Jeffrey Callen will begin positions as regular faculty in the MPA program.  Both Dr. Brien and Dr. Callen are currently serving this year as visiting faculty members in the MPA program, and we are thrilled that both have accepted offers to stay with the program on a permanent basis. Search committees that included MPA and Native Pathways Program faculty, MPA program staff and students, and senior college leadership selected Dr. Brien and Dr. Callen following national searches that together yielded over thirty applications. You can read more about Dr. Callen and Dr. Brien in this newsletter.

We also celebrated 20 years of the Tribal Governance MPA program at a special event at Evergreen’s House of Welcome (formerly the Longhouse) on January 29^th. Over 80 attendees including alumni from across the ten completed cohorts, students in the 11^th Tribal Governance cohort, faculty, staff, and senior college leadership came together to recognize the achievements of the alumni of this unique masters program. We were so happy to welcome Dr. Linda Moon Stumpff’s return visit to give keynote remarks, as well as to have longtime supporters of the Tribal Governance program in attendance, including current Evergreen President John Carmichael; current Evergreen Provost David McAvity; Native Cases Institute director and former Provost Dr. Barbara Smith; and former Evergreen President Les Purce in attendance. Many thanks and much gratitude to all our alumni who came to participate.  We are especially thankful for the insights that alumni panelists Dr. Mary DuPuis (class of 2006), Dr. Marla Conwell (class of 2006), Lorraine Van Burnt (class of 2004), Adam Flores (class of 2020), Kyle Pittman (class of 2022), and Jan Ward (class of 2006) provided for attendees.  Special thanks also to Loni Grinnell-Greninger (class of 2016), Vice Chair of Jamestown S’Klallam, for offering remarks on behalf of Jamestown S’Klallam Chair and longtime Tribal Governance MPA supporter Ron Allen. We look forward to the many future celebrations of the Tribal Governance MPA program still to come!

As always, we remain grateful for your engagement with and support of Evergreen’s Master of Public Administration program. If you have news to share or if you know someone who could be an excellent addition to our Fall 2023 cohort, please let us know at mpa@evergreen.edu.  You, our alumni, play a huge role in the continued success of our MPA program and in making sure that we continue to “be the change” that Washington and our communities need.