VCU news

By Pamela Stallsmith
L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

The Wilder School’s Master of Public Administration Program will receive the Social Equity Award from the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration at its annual conference in October.

The award recognizes a public policy, affairs or administration program that exemplifies the highest standards in diversity through outstanding contributions in research, teaching and service.

“This gives us one more reason to be proud of our outstanding Master of Public Administration Program,” said John Accordino, Ph.D., interim dean of the Wilder School. “I commend all of the faculty who contribute to this program through their teaching, scholarship and service, and we are honored to receive this recognition.”

The faculty has worked long and hard to integrate social equity values into the curriculum, research and service.

Richard Huff, Ph.D., chair of the Wilder School’s M.P.A. program, said, “I am really proud of what these talented faculty bring to our program at VCU. Social equity is a cornerstone of public administration and of the Wilder School. The faculty has worked long and hard to integrate social equity values into the curriculum, research and service. It is an honor to know and work with them.”

NASPAA’s Diversity and Social Equity Committee members specifically commended M.P.A. faculty members on their research focus on social justice, inequality and equity, saying the Wilder School’s program “provides an exemplary model to emulate” for others:

“Social equity permeates every aspect of the VCU MPA program. The faculty publishes scholarly research in the area of social equity and conducts applied funded social equity research. M.P.A. faculty members are also leaders of national organizations and initiatives that focus on social equity.

“There is hardly a single national social equity initiative where a VCU MPA faculty member is not central to. The VCU MPA curriculum provides a compelling example of how social equity principles can be taught across the curriculum.”

NASPAA is the membership organization of graduate education programs in public policy, public affairs, public administration, and public and nonprofit management. The national conference will take place in Columbus, Ohio, Oct. 19–21.