Midnight Shifts and Graduate Courses: How the MPA Gave Kathryn Mone the Credentials She Needed скачать в хорошем качестве

Midnight Shifts and Graduate Courses: How the MPA Gave Kathryn Mone the Credentials She Needed

Balancing midnight police shifts with evening graduate courses, Kathryn Mone proved that Carsey's Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is designed for working professionals ready to lead. But what is an MPA good for? The Public Administration field has a seat in every industry, from health care and education to government and law enforcement, and every major sector in between. The MPA program focuses on designing, implementing, and evaluating policies and services in any organization, giving Kathryn the perfect foundation for a leadership role in local government and law enforcement. "My experience with the MPA program, we learned how local government works, that law enforcement is just a piece of local government...so I'm glad I have that wider view," Kathryn reflects. That wider view has taken her farther than most women in law enforcement. In 2024, Kathryn became Strafford County's first female elected sheriff, a distinction shared by fewer than 2% of sheriffs nationwide. A Master's Built for Working Professionals When making the decision to earn her master's degree, Kathryn didn't have the luxury of stepping away from her career to go back to school full-time; she needed a program that would give her the credentials to elevate her career while being flexible to her life outside the program. Carsey's MPA did just that. Night classes made the school-work-life balance possible, allowing Kathryn to attend lectures before heading to her shift at the police station. Now 100% online, the MPA continues to be tailored for mid-career professionals who want to grow without pressing the pause button on their lives. Building Community Trust With an MPA In law enforcement, it's easy to only focus on the goals of the department—reducing crime, community needs, staffing, etc. But Kathryn's MPA studies broadened her perspective beyond the scope of the department. She came to understand how every department—fire, planning, city management—all work together to support the community. That full-scope view made her a stronger leader, helping her to see law enforcement as one piece of the much larger system. That perspective helps her to reach her personal mission of reshaping how communities view law enforcement by building trust and approachability. The MPA in Action: Applying Lessons from the Classroom Kathryn's coursework wasn't just theory; it was applied projects taught by practitioners in the field that connected directly to her career. "I had one professor who worked for public sector unions...And I, at the time, was in the union as a police officer. And now I became president of the union. And I think it was such a good basis. Before I really knew anything about unions, I learned it in class from someone who was working in the field," Kathryn stated. As a part of her journey, Kathryn got the opportunity to go out in the field for some tangible project experience. Traveling to the western side of New Hampshire, her cohort worked alongside a small town council to help them on a community-facing project. This wasn't only a service to the town but also proved to be valuable to Kathryn's career. During her time serving as North Hampton's chief of police, she helped gain community support for new police and fire facilities. It was in this process that she drew directly from what she learned in the program about bonds, bids, and local government. Paying It Forward A distinguished leader in her field, Kathryn is doing her part to give back to her law enforcement community. Growing up with the itch to teach, the MPA program has given her both the credentials and the confidence to do just that. In addition to her duties as Sheriff, she also teaches criminal justice classes at Great Bay Community College. Now she's not only using lessons from her program to build trust and relationships in the community, but also to instill it in the next generation of leaders in the field—developing the approachable law enforcement members she once wished for. Is an MPA Degree Worth It? "It's definitely worth it. I think wherever you are, just getting out of school or [having] been in the workforce a while, the Public Administration Master's is very valuable." Kathryn's story is one example of how an MPA can open doors beyond a single career track. No matter the field you're in—law enforcement, education, nonprofit management, etc.—the MPA equips graduates with the skills to lead, collaborate, and drive change. Learn more about the MPA, carsey.unh.edu/mpa 00:00 – 01:02 Intro 01:03 – 02:19 Making NH History 02:20 – 03:08 Working with the Sheriff's Department 03:09 – 04:25 Applying the MPA to Your Career 04:26 – 06:02 Attending the FBI National Academy 06:03 – 08:12 Law Enforcement Accomplishments 08:13 – 11:17 The Value of the MPA Program 11:18 – 11:34 Credentials to Teach 11:35 – 12:17 Why Did You Choose Law Enforcement? 12:18 – 12:45 Is the MPA Program Worth It?