MPA Program celebrates 30th anniversary

SAN MARCOS – Texas State University-San Marcos will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Masters in Public Administration program with a reception and dinner Friday, June 4.

The reception and dinner will be held in the LBJ Student Center Ballroom on the Texas State campus. The evening will begin with a social hour at 6 p.m., with dinner being served at 7 p.m.

Railroad Commissioner Charles R. Matthews, an alumnus of the Texas State MPA program, will be the featured speaker for the evening. Other distinguished guests include former Lt. Governor Bill Hobby, former State Auditor John Sharp and former Senator and U.S. Ambassador Robert Krueger. During the event, current MPA honor students will be inducted into Pi Alpha Alpha, the National Public Administration Honor Society. Additionally, the widow of Francis M. Rich Jr., who originally submitted the petition for the MPA program, will be in attendance and honored.

Tickets are available in advance or at the door, at a cost of $25 for the general public and $10 for Texas State students. For additional information, please contact Dodie Weidner at (512) 245-2143 or via email at dw29 @ txstate.edu.

About the Texas State MPA Program

The mission of the MPA Program mission is to prepare students for careers as managers and leaders in the public service. The program primarily serves the diverse community that is Central Texas. Such service is provided through course work, professional development opportunities, internships and applied research projects. The program responds to the changing public service environment through an innovative curriculum, faculty scholarship and service, links to professional organizations, interaction with governmental agencies and a commitment to state-of-the-art technology.

The program is distinguished by emphasizing the central role of ethics in public service; reinforcing the use of technology in management; providing professional and educational opportunities to a diverse student body; delivering classes at convenient times and locations; offering a variety of career support areas; enabling rich and frequent contacts between students and faculty; providing students and alumni with professional networking opportunities; focusing on continuing professional development; emphasizing management in political institutions and processes; and integrating theoretical and

applied approaches to public management. It was one of the first accredited programs in Texas and is nationally-recognized for outstanding student research. The MPA Program boasts four National Public Affairs and Administration Honor Society award-winners since 1998 for outstanding student manuscripts.