UNC MPA

Wrapping up our series! Stephanie Starr’s MPA experience deepened her leadership through reflection, financial insight, and collaboration. Her biggest takeaway: complex public challenges require trust, teamwork, and diverse perspectives, and it’s never too late to keep learning. Read the full story in our bio!

Brenda Portaro’s MPA journey transformed her approach to local government. From coursework to hands-on experience with the Town of Holly Springs, she gained insight into strategic planning, financial analysis, and sustainable community impact. See bio for the full story!

For Patrick Jones, the biggest surprise of the UNC MPA program was personal growth. Beyond building skills, the experience sparked self-reflection, helping Patrick better understand strengths, challenges, and leadership potential. See bio for the full story!

The UNC MPA program helped Sara Paige Murray sharpen her leadership skills and broaden her vision for public service. Through a dynamic online cohort, she gained new perspectives, strengthened collaboration, and developed a more informed, principled path forward. See our bio for the full story!

Join us on June 2 at 7PM for our UNC MPA General Information Session to learn more about our program including our curriculum, student experience, and the wide range of career paths our graduates pursue. Registration in our bio.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore graduate study or considering your next step in public service, this is a great opportunity to discover how the MPA can help you achieve your career goals.

Introducing our new Director of Admissions & Student Recruitment — Welcome Natalie Larson!

"I am excited to connect with prospective students as they discover how the unique opportunities of the UNC MPA program align with their personal and professional goals. I look forward to working together to inspire and educate the next generation of public service leaders."

We are so excited to have you on the UNC MPA team!

For faculty Friday, we want to take a moment to thank the faculty for creating learning environments that inspire, challenge, and support the next generation of public service leaders!

Behind the scenes of every great Commencement, is the staff making the show flow. Thank you UNC MPA staff members for their work on this event, particularly Susan Lynch, Operations Manager, and Elizabeth Langefeld, Director of Academic Advising and Student Life.

UNC MPA Commencement speaker Professor Carl Stenberg shared encouraging words for the MPA graduates through five takeaways from his career: Be resilient, lead from day one, invest in yourself, build and maintain your network, and think about your legacy. Thank you for motivating our graduating students!

Behind every MPA graduate is a community of support. Thank you to everyone who has supported MPA students throughout their studies – parents, families, friends, colleagues, mentors, and peers! Our graduates couldn’t have done it without you.