New Zeland

Fulbright New Zealand Seeks Applicants

Fulbright New Zealand invites applications for the 2011 Ian Axford (New Zealand) Fellowships in Public Policy. Ian Axford Fellowships in Public Policy give outstanding American mid-career professionals the opportunity to research, travel and gain practical experience in public policy in New Zealand for seven months. The program was established by the New Zealand Government in 1995 to reinforce links between New Zealand and the United States. The program aims to advance all areas of public policy by cross-fertilization of ideas and experience.

Axford Fellows have the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of economic, social and political reforms and management of the government sector. Fellows will be based at a host institution – usually a government ministry or department – and will be carefully paired with a leading policy expert who will serve as their mentor. In addition, they will be expected to spend a substantial part of their Fellowship in contact with other relevant organizations to gain practical experience in their field in New Zealand. Fellows are required to produce a policy report for publication by the Fellowship's Office and report their findings in a public seminar before returning to the USA.

Three to four Fellows are selected each year. Applicants must be U.S. citizens with at least five years experience in their professions, and must submit a formal application. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2010. For further information, contact Martin Boswell at martin@fulbright.org.nz or Frank Cain at axford@fulbright.org.nz.

NASPAA NGO Opportunities

AMERICAS

1. Learn to Lead by Laughing: Costa Rica

This director is one of the funniest & warmest directors that I have ever met. Needless to say, she has a strong & happy team. I believe there is much to be learned from her.

2. Learn to Lead by Running Around: Bolivia

Bolivia is one of the poorest nations in South America. The dry altiplano yields little food so families are drawn into the cities that offer few work opportunities. The kids are often the family wage earners.

This is one of the most comprehensive youth programs I have ever seen in South America: meals for the hungry, tutoring, swimming, chess, arts, indigenous music, baking, dental & medical programs, gradually moving from street work into other kinds of work. The director runs her toes off as she speeds from meetings with the mayor to putting out fires at work sites. Learn how to juggle from her!

3. Interface between Grassroots & International Orgs: Bolivia

Our director in Bolivia worked for 6 years with international non-profits so has infused his grasp of needs assessments, "project cycles" & monitoring & evaluation into his indigenous organization.

4. Interface between For-Profit & Non-Profit: Ecuador

Ecuadorian highlands are almost as unyielding so this org is exploring a multitude to ways to support their community development projects in the surrounding villages.

AFRICA

1. From Hell to Healing: Gulu

Gulu is recovering from the havoc wrecked by the LRA as girls were raped & boys forced to fight.

Humility is essential. Locals here have learned how to thrive in a very challenging environment and have much to teach you. This is another of our Best & Brightest directors.

2. Partnership: Sierra Leone

Like Gulu, Sierra Leone is recovering from a devastating civil war. Sierra Leone is a great "laboratory for learning". It is one of Africa's poorest, most corrupt and uneducated countries. If you can work as equals with this management team & make headway in SL, you are ready for almost any challenge after that!

3. The Empowerment of Women: Cameroon

Learn how every move that this director makes is checked with the chiefs. This is another dynamic director who works in both urban & rural settings on literacy, income generation & social service projects.

4. Funding Children's Programs: Ghana & Kenya

Two separate programs, same dilemma: how to keep programs running on mostly their own funds. Ghana program works with kids that have been forced into child labor; Kenya offers home and services for AIDS orphans and kids abandoned by alcoholic parents. Grant writers welcome. Ideas for other sources of funding are welcome. Kenya home hopes to buy land and raise food and thus be self sufficient.

INTERESTED?

Please READ the entire NGOabroad website. http://www.ngoabroad.com/

Email info as requested on home page: embedded resume & answered Questionnaire to info@NGOabroad.com.

NGOabroad: International Careers & Volunteering is a unique service that helps you enter or advance in international humanitarian work & provides frugal, customized international volunteering.

National Conference on State Government at UIS

FACT SHEET

10th Annual State Politics and Policy Conference (SPPC 2010)
June 3 – 5, 2010
University of Illinois at Springfield

Event Summary:

The SPPC is an annual academic conference co-sponsored by the State Politics and Policy organized section of the American Political Science Association and State Politics and Policy Quarterly (SPPQ). It changes location annually, having been held in past years at the University of Texas at Austin, Michigan State University, Kent State University, and the University of Arizona, among other universities. This major national conference is the premier event of the year for political scientists studying state politics and policy, with 100-150 of the top scholars in the field presenting and discussing their cutting-edge research.

SPPC 2010 Theme:

• Political Scientists Meet Political Practitioners in the States—“How Can We Help You?”

Special Thematic Events:

• Thursday, June 3 – Opening Reception, Old State Capitol, Hall of Representatives

o Roundtable of former state governors discussing the conference theme, including:

 Madeleine Kunin, D-VT, 1985-1991
 Parris Glendening, D-MD, 1995-2003
 Jim Edgar, R-IL, 1991-1999

• Friday, June 4 – Dinner Banquet, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum Rotunda

o Keynote speaker – Alan Ehrenhalt, Executive Editor, Governing magazine

• Friday, June 4, and Saturday, June 5— Panels and Roundtables, UIS campus

o Thematic roundtables, including

 “Political Scientists and Statehouse Journalists”

o Traditional academic research presentations

Sponsors:
• University of Illinois at Springfield
o Center for State Policy and Leadership
o College of Public Affairs and Administration
• University of Illinois
o Institute of Government and Public Affairs
• Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
• State Politics and Policy organized section of the American Political Science Association
• State Politics and Policy Quarterly

Conference Hotel:
• Springfield Hilton

Intern at the City of Maryland Heights

LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT
INTERNSHIP

THE CITY

Located in northwest St. Louis County, the City has a population of 27,400 residents, increasing during the day to over 100,000 because of its major concentration of businesses, offices, hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues including a large casino.

The city is a statutory city with a City Administrator form of government. There are five departments: Police, Public Works, Finance, Parks and Recreation, and Community Development. The city employs 200 full-time employees and has a budget of over $50 million.


THE INTERNSHIP
This program is for graduate students who are considering a professional career in local government management. The intern will work in the offices of the City Administrator and the Director of Finance. In addition to general administrative tasks, the intern will be exposed to the operations of all departments, be responsible for the preparation and presentation to the Council of an update to the city’s five-year financial projection and will be given the opportunity to select a major assignment of interest to him or her. Attendance at city council meetings, staff meetings, and professional meetings are also a part of the program.

This 12-week internship will take place between May 1 and September 15; the specific schedule is negotiable.

The Management Internship is one of six summer internships sponsored by the city. All interns will participate as a group in a team-building project and in tours of a variety of municipal facilities. Over 80 students have participated in this nationally recognized program since 1986.

COMPENSATION
Compensation is $10.83 per hour, 40 hours per week and lasts 12 weeks ($5,200).

QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants should be entering their final year of graduate education in Public Administration, Public Policy Analysis or a similar field.

APPLICATION
To be considered, applicants must submit the following:
• A letter of interest addressed to the City Administrator at the above address. The letter is to include specific areas that the applicant would like to pursue, such as municipal finance, personnel, economic development or general administration.
• A list of local government courses (undergraduate or graduate) taken.
• A resume.
• A letter of reference from a college advisor or professor.

The information listed above should be emailed ASAP to tlucas-stephan@marylandheights.com. Applicants should give some thought to housing before applying.

The City is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Internship News from NASPAA

To: MPA/MPP Students

From: National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration

Re: Tips on using your student status in getting hired full time by the Federal Government

FACT #1: 85% OF FEDERAL JOBS ARE NOT IN WASHINGTON
D.C.

FACT #2: STUDENTS CAN USE A LITTLE-KNOWN PROGRAM
TO CONVERT THEIR FEDERAL INTERNSHIP TO A
FULL TIME JOB.

FACT #3: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS 1,000’s OF
TALENTED PROFESSIONALS AND WILL BE HIRING
SOON. (SEE ARTICLES AT BOTTOM)

THIS IS YOUR MPA/MPP GUIDE & GATEWAY TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Finding Opportunities in the Federal Government Without Using USAJobs.gov
Working in the federal government can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. BUT finding the right opportunities can be a long and frustrating process, especially when using USAJOBS.gov, the central place to find and apply for federal openings.

FORTUNATELY, there are several opportunities for current MPA/MPP students, undergraduates and recent grads that are not part of the competitive hiring process and are not listed on USAJobs.gov.

This document will introduce you to two growing federal hiring programs for students and recent graduates: the Student Employment Experience Programs (SEEP) and the Federal Career Internship Programs (FCIP). This email includes slide show with info and downloadable documents including an agency-by-agency listing with key details and contact info.

1. Introduction to the Student and Federal Career Internship Program
Students interested in federal government employment must know two acronyms: STEP and SCEP. The STEP (Student Temporary Employment Program) and the SCEP (Student Career Experience Program) make up the federal government’s SEEP. The purpose of both programs is to give undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to participate in substantial, career-enhancing, paid, internship-like positions. Both the STEP and SCEP offer other benefits to the student depending on the hiring agency, like vacation, health insurance, and retirement, and they are not part of the competitive hiring process.

What about opportunities for alumni? Don’t let the word “Internship” turn you off from Federal Career Internship Program (FCIP) opportunities as you don’t have to be a current student for these particular FCIP opportunities. The federal government created the FCIP hiring authority to help agencies bring in the best and brightest graduates. FCIPs are professional training programs often given names like “Emerging Leaders Program” or “Administrative Fellows Program.” Regardless of the names, the FCIP hiring authority is the closest thing federal recruiters have to “on-the-spot” hiring, and they don’t have to be posted in USAJobs.gov.

The first section of the following slideshow will give you the basics of the SEEP opportunities, and is followed by an outline of the FCIP.

View Slide Show
(http://www.naspaa.org/presentations/2008FederalOpportunity/FO.asp)

Download the document
(http://www.naspaa.org/presentations/2008FederalOpportunity/FederalOpportunities.pdf)

2. Listing of Specific Federal Agency Internship, Application Info & Contact Details
This is an agency-by-agency list of basic SEEP and FCIP description, application details and contact info. It is by no means comprehensive or exhaustive. New positions are created every day, often at the suggestion of students and alumni. Please send your updates to Paul Binkley via email at tscareer@gwu.edu and he will add it to the listing.

View Slide Show
(http://www.naspaa.org/presentations/2008FederalOpportunity/FCIP.asp)

Download the document
(http://www.naspaa.org/presentations/2008FederalOpportunity/FCIP.pdf)

THREE HELPFUL HINTS IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR FULL-TIME FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT
1. Focus on SCEP internships. Why? Most often are paid and you can possibly convert it to a full-time federal job once you graduate.
2. If you do a SCEP internship in one agency you can convert that experience to a full-time job in a completely different agency.
3. You can get half of the required hours needed for a federal job waived by superior performance in your internship. (Supervisor can waive if they agree)


RECENT NEWS ARTICLES ON FEDERAL HIRING:
• FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HIRING FOR THOUSANDS OF JOBS
http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top%20stories/story/Federal-Government-hiring-for-thousands-of-jobs/Fg0dVeKXjUehwx86lvY0xw.cspx?rss=20

• HELP WANTED IN PUBLIC SERVICE
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/04/15/help_wanted_in_public_service/
• HOW TO RIDE THE FEDERAL HIRING WAVE
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/25/AR2009032501827.html


THIS EMAIL MESSAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY NASPAA
This Federal Career Info Message is from the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). Your school is a member and that is why you are able to receive this message. Please see www.NASPAA.org Also, if you are not yet a member of the nationwide MPA/MPP group on Facebook or Linked In you can join by clicking each link:

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2234487021&ref=ts#/pages/Washington-DC/Go-Public-Service-MPAMPP-Degrees/80891490654

• Linked In:http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=108936&trk=hb_side_g

If you have any questions or suggestions please email Scott Talan, Director of Communications at NASPAA, at Talan@naspaa.org.


THANK YOU TO GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Information and slide show were created by
Paul Binkley, Director of Career Development Services
Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration
The George Washington University
Washington, DC 20052
Web: www.gwu.edu/~tspppa


*Citation for 85% of federal jobs being outside of Washington DC is from Partnership for Public Service who tracks and works with federal agencies in helping provide better and clearer ways to recruit new people to federal service.

New PA Faculty Member at UIS

Alexis Halley, DPA, is an assistant professor who will join the Department of Public Administration in Fall 2009. She holds M.P.A. and D.P.A. degrees in Public Administration from the University of Southern California, and a Master of Science in Educational Research and B.S. in Psychology and Government from The Florida State University. Her research, professional interests and publications are in policy design, implementation, and evaluation, executive leadership, boundary theory, and the relationship between public administration and community. Dr. Halley is the founding co-director of the John C. Stennis Congressional Staff Fellows Program and is a “pracademic” with federal, state, regional, and county government experience. She has taught at George Washington University, Cal State East Bay, Cardean University (Unext.com), and Keller Graduate School of Management. Her doctoral dissertation received the Reining Award for Best Dissertation. She is the co-editor of Who Makes Public Policy: The Struggle for Control between Congress and the Executive (Chatham House, 1994), and recent co-author of “The Paradoxical Status of Planning and Time in Today’s Public Environment,” International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior (2008).

Fellowship for Students Interested in Local Government

Deadline April 22, 2009

Dear MPA Program Directors:

I am writing to invite and urge you to nominate up to three of your students for the 2009 James M. Banovetz Illinois Local Government Fellowship.

Established by the Illinois City/County Management Association (ILCMA) to encourage the best public administration students to pursue a career in local government management, the fellowship will provide $2,000 in support money for the academic year. The student will be identified as the Banovetz Illinois Local Government Fellow and will be introduced to the ILCMA membership at its annual meeting in Galena on June 10-12, 2009.

The fellowship is named in honor of Professor Emeritus James M.
Banovetz, whose 35-year academic career was devoted to the professional education of students for careers in local government management, and to the enhancement of graduate education in public administration throughout Illinois. The program seeks to continue Professor Banovetz’s efforts by encouraging students at all Illinois colleges and universities to consider local government management as a desirable career option. The membership of ILCMA has made the fellowship a continuing program, providing one or more students each year with a fellowship having a cash value that approximates the equivalent of a one-year tuition grant.

To qualify for the fellowship, the student must have successfully completed at least one half the coursework required for a master’s degree program in public administration or political science at a university in Illinois. Further, the recipient must make a personal commitment to pursue a professional career in local government management.

The Association wishes to encourage you to nominate up to three full- or part-time students who meet these qualifications. Application forms are enclosed. Applications must be postmarked no later than April 22, 2009. In addition to having your nominees complete the requisite forms (attached), we also ask that you provide a personal cover letter for each candidate. Please indicate your appraisal of each candidate’s academic and professional potential and assess his/her commitment to a career in local government management.


Sincerely,



Dawn S. Peters
ILCMA Executive Director