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Northeastern’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs participated in and presented at at the 2024 Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) conference held in in Washington D.C. from Oct 23rd to 25th.

Mark Henderson and Maria Ivanova
Maria Ivanova, Mark Henderson, Etai Mizrav, and Neil Kleiman
Linda Kowalcky, Etai Mizrav, and Michele Rosenthal
Bev Ballaro, Christina Stanica, Maria Ivanova, Michele Rosenthal, and Mark Henderson
Cristina Stanica, Etai Mizrav, Neil Kleiman, Michele Rosenthal, Mark Henderson, and Bev Ballaro

Policy School Presenters at NASPAA 2024

Policy School Professor Cristina Stanica, together with Brenda Bond-Fortier (Suffolk University) and Claire Knox (University of Central Florida), presented an Oct 24 NASPAA panel on “Navigating the Complexities of Strategic Planning in Higher Education: Insights, Innovations, and Implementation.”

This panel brought together experts to share insights and practical guidance on navigating strategic planning in higher education, focusing on public policy and administration schools. Panelists explored challenges, emphasized the importance of engaging diverse stakeholders, and discussed translating strategic profiles into actionable programs. Attendees learned about multilevel planning processes, partnering with graduate students, and the role of advisory boards in implementation. The session provided participants with strategies for developing robust plans that position their institutions for long-term success in an increasingly competitive and dynamic environment.

Policy School Professor Neil Kleiman, together with Beth Blauer (Johns Hopkins University), Hamid Ekbia (Syracuse University), and Rayid Ghani (Carnegie Mellon University), presented an Oct 24 NASPAA panel on “The Impact, Implications and Opportunities of AI.”

Artificial Intelligence has exploded onto the policy scene and is impacting most every sector—public and private. In just the past few months, hundreds of millions in new federal, state and philanthropic dollars have been dedicated to higher education and AI. Now is the time to grapple with the ramifications. This panel assessed how AI can help our schools grow and how it affects pedagogy, research and the student experience. Panelists discussed curriculum revisions, how to manage workplace changes and the need to better prepare students and the civic communities we work for the new AI future.

Policy School members Beverly Ballaro and Michele Rosenthal, together with Ryan Baldassario (UConn) and Laurie Miller (Cornell), presented an Oct 25 NASPAA panel on“Doing More With Less: Leveraging Small Teams in Public Service Career & Community Engagement Programming.”

Developing the next generation of public servants is a tall task – one often undertaken by small career service teams. Staff from Northeastern University, Cornell University, and University of Connecticut highlighted approaches to building career development programs from scratch, sustaining community engagement programs which are mutually beneficial to students and external partners, and how to meet graduate students where they’re at for career support. Specific program examples and resource allocation strategies were explored so attendees could create practical implementation plans relevant to their students, constituencies, and institutional contexts.

Policy School Director Maria Ivanova and Maja Holmes (Director of the School of Public Affairs and Administration at the University of Kansaspresented an Oct 25 NASPAA panel on “Empowering Women in Public Service Leadership: Strategies for Success and Transformation.”

This session served as a platform for advancing women in public service leadership roles. The session was constructed not as a forum to lament gender disparities, but as an incubator for actionable strategies that empower female deans and academic leaders. Panelists and attendees delved into the art of transformational leadership, dissecting women’s unique value to public service and how to amplify this impact.