Master of Public Administration Association 2008-2009

Soccer Updates

2009-03-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

The MPA Cougars are in the 2nd round of the tournament. Don't miss it: Saturday, February 28th, 3 pm, SFH Practice Field.

Also, for a more detailed account of the life and times of the MPA Cougars, see Scott Selin's excellent blog.

Talent Show Update: Dinner and a Show!

2009-03-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

Is everyone excited for the annual Talent Show? Come and blow of some midterm blues by watching your colleagues display and perform their fabulous talents!

WHEN: Friday, March 13th
TIME: 7-9 pm
WHERE: 1600 N. 900 E., Provo (see map below)

View Larger Map

The talent show venue is very easy to get to. Simply head EAST on University Parkway (toward the mountains), turn RIGHT on 900 East (or south, toward BYU campus), and the building will be on your LEFT (or West, on the mountain side of the road). It is a stake center, and there will be plenty of parking! You can also use the map to get custom directions from wherever you'll be coming from.

Please bring your family, significant others, or roommates, and come enjoy great performances and a delicious meal!

Questions? Simply leave a comment and we'll respond right away. And don't forget to sign-up in the lounge!

MPAA Soccer

2009-02-18T11:58:00.001-08:00

Soccer fans everywhere, please visit this link to hear all about the awesome MPA Cougars.

See you at the game this Saturday!

First Day of Class

2009-01-05T16:20:00.000-08:00

As studious scholars in a rigorous Master's program, you can bet we were ready to hit the books our first day of school. Unfortunately, some people were hitting more than just books...

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First of all, we just want to give our thanks to the MPAA allowing this guest post--we have promised to keep it clean (mostly). And we should also give props to Holly "Hells Bells" Hansen for giving permission to detail her first day at school; it was unlike any other, and will be engrained in our minds like the five stitches above her eye.

Here's a play-by-play of what happened.

BYU lot across from Wendy's: 8:49am, Bryan, Holly, and Billy depart for Sundance in Holly's AWD Subaru Outback, Mountain Dew in cup holder, 15 degrees outside, and Holly's skis have dust on them.

Sundance lower lot: 9:22am, Holly tells the parking attendant "we are VIP," the parking attendant rolls her eyes and says, "you can park in the lower lot anyway."

Rays Lift: 9:35am Snowing lightly, Bryan calls his mom, we all get cold, and then get on the Flathead lift. We were so happy.

Top of the Bearclaw run: 9:44am Billy goes first, Bryan second, and Holly third.
This happens.

Holly says, "What?! Why the long faces? Lets keep going!"

Flathead lift base: Ski patrol comes to the rescue (Trevor), applies full head wrap, and charms Holly. Billy gets quesy and sits in the snow. Bryan tries to get Holly a date with Trevor, she gives Trevor her phone number (on the injury report form).

Timpanogos Hospital ER: 11:18, Holly's heart rate is high, bp low, and does not approve of having her temperature taken.

Operating bed: 11:41, Holly tells the doctor he better do tight, small stitches. Five stitches are applied. The doctor's assistant informs Holly that she looks black and blue.
BYU lot across from Wendy's: 12:45, Holly and Bryan drop Billy off at his car. Holly announces that she's ready to go skiing on Wednesday.

Anybody else in?

Winter Social!!!

2008-12-11T20:31:00.000-08:00

The Winter Social was great fun. It was a nice way to blow off steam as we gear up for finals. The cookies disappeared quickly with some fine works of art created in the process. Even the faculty descended from their thrones on high to visit us mere mortals. What an honor!

There is plenty of frosting (bring some graham crackers!) and hot chocolate left (let's bring mugs and save the planet), so dig in for a quick pick-me-up during finals.

Good luck with your exams and projects everyone!

Halloween Party

2008-12-08T14:42:00.000-08:00

I know, 2 updates in one day? What is the world coming to?

Well, here are some spooky pictures from the MPAA Halloween Party. In addition to the great food and fun, everyone enjoyed the cakewalk and yummy treats (thanks Brooke for contributing your culinary skills!).

Here are some great shots from the evening.

A very excited winner

Cakewalk hopefuls

Sonjie and Scott chillin'

Salt and Pepper (Andy and his lovely wife Jessica)

Billy and Holly enjoying the festivities. We thought the bloody handprint tablecloths were an appropriate touch.

Daniel and Emily

Amy and Seth

Some more sweet cakewalk times

And our favorite Republican, Stella Ostraff!

Opening Social!!!

2008-12-08T13:37:00.000-08:00

Well, the end of the semester is fast approaching, but here we have, for your viewing pleasure, a photo re-cap of the Opening Social.

Attendance at the event was high, and it was great opportunity for MPA students (and their families), and MPA faculty, staff, (and their families) to get to know one another better. After a scrumptious meal catered by Cafe Rio, we had a smashing good time with a pinata and an epic battle over the Tug-o-War. Better luck next year, class of 2010!

And let us not forget the Obstacle Course Relay. Scott Selin's flying somersaults were a feat that will go down in Romney Institute history. They were no doubt key in him leading his team to donut-medal victory.

Enjoy the pics below!

2nd Years gearing up for the Tug-o-War...

1st years preparing for their inevitable defeat...

A future MPA student

Budding social networks

3-legged race in progress

Fleeing the fun

Donut medalists

And our illustrious faculty

Don't forget the hula-hoopers!

Well, here is a taste of the event. If you missed out on the Opening Social, be sure you make it for April's Closing Social, and all the great activities in between.

Opening Social Update

2008-09-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

The MPAA Council has been hard at working organizing a fabulous opening social. We will be holding committee sign-ups during dinner for the Service and Activities Committee, the Student Life Committee, and the MPA Spouses Association. Service and Activities Committee Members will be crucial in planning the Halloween Party, Christmas Party, Angel Tree service event, Talent Show, Potluck, Closing Social, weekly lounge events (like movie nights on the FLATSCREEN), and service opportunities. The Student Life Committee Members will help with the firesides, intramurals, mentoring, and other awesome events.

The Opening Social is also host to the first-ever MPAA Olympics. Below is a schedule of events for the evening.

Opening/Welcome
Dinner/Committee Sign-ups
Pinata

START OF OLYMPICS
Annual Tug-o-War (1st years vs. 2nd years)
Hula-hoop off (individual event)
Root beer chugging (individual event)
Managerial Pentathlon (team event)
3-legged race
Crab walk
Somersault
Leap frog
Baseball bat twirl

Closing/Awards Ceremony

We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Opening Social Teaser

2008-09-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

Opening Social

2008-08-06T10:27:00.001-07:00

The MPAA Council has been hard at work planning the MPA Opening Social. We are very excited to see all of the 2nd years and to meet the 1st years!

Friday, September 12, 2008
6-8 pm
Lion's Park
1280 N. 950 W.
Provo, UT

You can also see the details to the right of the webpage under "Upcoming Events." Below is a map to Lion's Park.

View Larger Map

Ghana 2008

2008-07-02T08:35:00.001-07:00

“You went to Africa this summer? That is so cool. I have always wanted to go to Africa.” This is something I hear often when I tell people about my recent trip with the MPA program to Ghana. It is usually followed up with, “I would love to go on a safari. Did you see elephants and giraffes? I bet they are so amazing in person.” My reply is, “no, I didn’t go on a safari.” “Oh, so you built a school then, right?” Nope, didn’t do that either. So what did I do in Ghana for three weeks? This summer a few from the program were given the opportunity to travel to Ghana for a life changing, educational experience. We were able to work on projects for a nonprofit, called Empowered Playgrounds, as well as for the Church. The task we were assigned to do for Empowered Playgrounds was to systematically devise a plan to select schools in rural Ghana that would qualify for a merry-go-round. For the church, we evaluated a program that is designed to aid returned missionaries in finding a job.

Brittney Smith describes how her experiences have contributed to her learning, and how she is using the skills she acquired in her summer internship. “I was just thinking this morning about how Ghana helped me. It definitely opened my eyes to a new way of life and gave me exposure to an international, third-world country and how different it is. But something in particular that helped me a lot was going through the process of the RM project. We interviewed a lot of people, brainstormed, summarized themes, and then presented the information with some suggestions. I am currently doing a very similar project internally with my company this summer. I have interviewed hundreds of people in group and individual settings about performance and engagement issues, then I summarized the themes and problems, and now I am making it into a presentation for upper-management with suggestions for improvement. By applying what I learned in Ghana from the process and feedback of our project has helped me do this project more efficiently.”

While no school or health clinic was built in our name, through this experience we lived our motto: Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve.

Closing Social

2008-04-12T09:12:00.000-07:00

Last night's closing social was a blast. There was amazing food from Tucano's, a rousing game of Family Feud, a thorough beating of one very unlucky pinata, and of course, moments to honor Professor Gloria Wheeler, retiring this year.

For those of you who missed the fun, here are some pictures of the choicer moments. If you have any pictures that you want put up here, let us know and send them in! We're waiting for some action shots of the pinata massacre. Some of those professors' kids are CRAZY!

Yay for 1st Years!

Scott is not messing around.

But Sonjie and Andy are.

Melissa and Chante!

Hot hot Holly and Kiley. Yowzas.

Your host, Richard Gardner!

Andy Bean is our hero.

A happy, happy Bryan Moore.

Welcome

2008-04-10T12:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the MPA 2008-2009 Official Blog. This is where everyone can come for event updates, news, pictures, and spotlights on your fellow colleagues. We'll be updating regularly, and adding fun features, like "Ask a 2nd Year," so make sure you visit often!

Above are the pictures of the MPAA Council, starting with our fearless leader, Brian Halverson, and then proceeding alphabetically: Holly Hansen (VP Internal Relations), Eli Jones (VP Student Life),m Heber Lefgren (VP Finances), Fabio Lucas (VP Diversity), and Sarah Taylor (VP Activities and Service).