Rutgers SPAA Hosts Public Administration Degree Info Session for High School Interns

About 40 high school students from all around Essex County, NJ came to Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration to hear from faculty, staff, and students about the school's undergraduate program and what a degree in public and nonprofit administration entails. Most of the students were participants in the Essex County Prosecutor's Office's Summer Youth Internship Program, where interns learn about the role and functions of the office and careers in law, law enforcement, and government. University Hospital in Newark also sent high school students from their summer internship program to participate in the event and to learn about SPAA's BA program.

Dr. Michael Dillard, assistant teaching professor and BA program director at SPAA, organized and coordinated the event, which also included SPAA and Rutgers University-Newark faculty and staff.

From Rutgers SPAA, Dr. Lois Warner, associate teaching professor and director of institutional assessment, and Dr. Aaron Gibbs, associate dean of student and academic services, along with Dr. Dillard, discussed the major in public and nonprofit administration, SPAA's academic advising and student support services, courses and curriculum (including internship requirements), careers in public and nonprofit administration, and key services and initiatives at Rutgers-Newark.

Drs. Dillard and Warner conducted a mock teaching session and discussed their teaching philosophies, what students learn in the courses they teach, and how they motivate and support SPAA students.

In addition, current SPAA BA students Karina Avila and Leilani Toxtli shared their experiences at SPAA. Avila told the high school students she was looking for a school that offered a strong focus on public service while also providing her with necessary management skills. She discussed her experience as a nontraditional student, how she is able to balance her time between classes and work, and the personal attention and support provided by the faculty and staff.

Robyn Ince, executive director of the Newark City Learning Collaborative (NCLC) at RU-N, discussed how her office supports high school students and how they can secure internship opportunities and scholarships.

Willie Johnson, head coach of the Rutgers University-Newark Debate Team, spoke about the importance of debate and how to become involved with the team, noting some of the debate team's wins and where the team has traveled over the years.

"We are not the typical type of school that simply teaches from a textbook – we go beyond the textbook to connect theory to practice," said Dr. Dillard. "Our approach is all about coming up with creative, hands-on types of events to introduce our students to public and nonprofit administration."

If you have questions about the BA program or the application process, contact Aaron Gibbs, associate dean of student and academic services, at algibbs@rutgers.edu.