Jane Sharp (MPA'10): "Public Administration is..."

Name: Jane Sharp
SPAA Degree and Graduation Year: MPA 2018
Current Position: Director, New Jersey Certified Public Manager Program, Rutgers SPAA
Position Responsibilities: Oversee the New Jersey Certified Public Manager Program, a nationally accredited certificate for public and nonprofit managers

How did SPAA prepare you for your current role?
The MPA provided both a theoretical and practical understanding of concepts that define public administration and make a public administrator successful. Students from the Certified Public Manager Program are high-level administrators from diverse public and nonprofit agencies including police, fire, municipal management, county administration, and state government. Understanding the broader principals of public administration allows me to see the common threads across positions and agencies. Also, the cohort model of my EMPA program became the basis for the cohort model in the CPM program.

Why are you excited about your work?
The CPM program requires 300 hours of study over 10 months. Students attend 36 full-day courses and complete a capstone project/research paper to benefit their organization. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, we had 3 cohorts (68 students) who were in the middle of the program. We made modifications to the course delivery and moved the program online. Despite all of their personal and professional challenges, 100% of the students completed the program on time that summer. Government employees are often maligned as lazy and ineffective, but these individuals exemplified noble public service. It's a privilege to be a part of their journey.