Graduate Profile: Marcus Bourbon (MPA'18)
Name: Marcus Bourbon
Age: 50
Hometown: Montclair, NJ
Degree: Master in Public Administration
Major or concentration: Nonprofit Management
Why did you enroll at SPAA?
Armed with a doctoral degree in organizational leadership in 2012, pursuing another degree was the furthest thing on my mind. However, after hearing that pubic administration was a highly sought after degree, I decided to test the waters by enrolling in the Nonprofit Management Certificate program. The courses were so informative, I decided to complete the entire master’s program. The fact that the Rutgers University School of Public Affairs and Administration ranked in the top 50 programs in the nation, and was located right in my backyard made for an easy decision.
What do you hope to accomplish with your degree?
For nearly twenty years, I was employed at a large 8,000-member multisite and multiracial congregation in northern New Jersey working in various roles, including leadership development, community engagement, and volunteer management. Serving in a faith-based organization afforded me the opportunity to be a part of helping people mature in their faith and enhance their personal well-being. Today, the hope is to join an organization that is passionate about moving a cause forward, and embraces a vision to make a difference in the lives of people and their communities. The MPA and my extensive managerial experience is the right mix in building a lasting imprint in an organizational environment where I can manage and promote positive change in the public and nonprofit sectors. In this next season of my life, I want to look back and know that I have impacted people.
Favorite SPAA memory?
My most memorable time at SPAA was the opportunity to be a part of a greater community where people from different backgrounds live, work, and study together. Through its rich diversity, it provided valuable lessons from the many perspectives of other people different from myself, which made learning thought provoking. It was not unusual to share classes with students half my age; nonetheless, they made me feel welcomed and frequently reached out to me for help as a coach, mentor, and friend.
Biggest challenge?
The study completed for the Capstone project was by far the most challenging; yet, meaningful learning experience of the SPAA program. This was an opportunity to integrate learning from various SPAA courses with my practical experience in volunteerism. In a relatively short period of time, I was required to identify a study topic, collect and analyze data, and present my findings. Under the guidance of my professor, I was able to research whether volunteerism differed among millennial and baby boomer generations—a meaningful topic for any future nonprofit work.
Next steps?
I consider it a personal accomplishment to have earned another degree. I have the opportunity to finally breathe and relax after a year and half of studying. Subsequently, after about two weeks, I will be strategic in my connections with organizations seeking an experienced person to maximize their community reach.
Advice to incoming students?
I believe the top four biggest fears confronting working professionals and adults in making a decision to return to school is cost, time, commitment, and attending classes with younger students. I always say, the hardest part in returning back to school is completing the school enrollment application. Nonetheless, once you clear that hurdle, my best advice is to “tackle” one assignment at a time. Additionally, I would advise to not be too hard on yourself if it takes a few assignments to get back into the habit of note taking, textbook reading, and venturing into the library. Before you know it, like me, you will have completed your goal and will soon realize that the fears and concerns only provided a catapult for your success.