A Promise Fulfilled – Earning My ph.d. In Public Policy and Administration

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Andrew R. Vaz
August 23, 2024

I am an avid learner of public policy, administration and government. Posting these thoughts on public administration is my pleasure here at PA Times. This column will be different than what I usually comment on.

I wanted to take a moment and reflect on a milestone that I managed to reach. I graduated with my Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration this summer. Yes, this is a huge accomplishment and I want to underline this development explicitly to those of you who have the pleasure of reading this column. With all that has happened since finishing my dissertation to preparing to head to the convocation ceremony, I never had the chance to look back and discuss the journey I had, and I assure you, it was a journey that took me 20 years to achieve.

I can look back at my youth, from elementary school through to high school. It encompasses 1989 to 2003, but all I can say is that I was a bright and intelligent kid with a passion for learning subjects that I was interested in. Usually, that would be subjects such as geography, computer science, information technology and international business. However, there was this underlying curiosity I had towards public service. After graduating from high school, I enrolled in a 4-year university where initially; I majored in information technology. It was my second year, and I was placed in my first political science course. It changed my life—I switched my majors, becoming a political science student. I graduated in 2008 with my Bachelor of Arts with Specialized Honors (BA Hons.) degree in Political Science.

My educational journey didn’t end there of course—I applied for a double Master’s degree program in Public Administration (MPA) and Criminal Justice (MSc). I did get accepted into that program and graduated with those master’s degrees in 2011. Then, I entered my PhD program majoring in Public Policy and Administration. This was the hardest part of my entire educational pursuit. The program pushed me completely out of my comfort zone with both online and in-person residencies. When my coursework and residencies were completed, I began work on my nearly 200-page dissertation. While working on the dissertation chapters, I was awarded a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Public Policy and Administration. In its entirety, it took me four years to complete all 5 chapters. In all honesty, completing my Ph.D. was one of the hardest undertakings in my life thus far.

At the same time, I was enrolled in another bachelor’s degree program while completing my work in my PhD program. I managed to obtain a Bachelor of Science (BSc), Summa Cum Laude, in Criminal Justice. En route to this second bachelor’s degree, I also received an Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Summa Cum Laude, in Criminal Justice. In all, I possess 7 degrees from universities across North America. For someone who never imagined going as far as I have in post-secondary education, I look upon all this work with profound admiration.

Now, what is to become of my life? Well, it is safe to say that my time as a student has ended. I began learning in September 1989 in a classroom in Canada. As of August 2024, I have placed this aspect of my life behind me—once and for all. After 35 years, I have waited for this moment to put the learning cap down on the table. In other words: I am retired…as a student.

However, my work in the public service is only in its infancy. I look forward to many years working for the public that entrusts so much responsibility to its workers. This truly is a new beginning—a brand, new chapter of my life. I fulfilled a promise to my family; but most importantly, to myself. No matter the challenge or difficulty that was presented, I want to rise to the occasion and excel. I have no regrets about my life as a student, and that is how I will remember those many years of learning.

I still aim to become a professor, teaching Public Administration or Criminal Justice at a college or university. I want to pass on my learnings to other students in this arena. Perhaps, they will also find the joy I have for learning about the subjects that I am passionate about in the realm of public administration and public policy. 

As I conclude this column, I want to take a moment to thank the very people in my life who have been by my side throughout my journey: my family. Words can never express how much I appreciate you all having my back all these years. I always hope to make you all proud of everything that I do. I will continue to do so as long as I live.

Trying to prevent our future is the mistake that we make when refuse to let go of our past. Time, itself, will never forgive you – Dr. Andrew R. Vaz, Ph.D.

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 Author: Andrew R. Vaz, Ph.D. is a graduate of the Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration program at Walden University, specializing in Public Management and Leadership. He was already awarded a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in the program. He is also a graduate of the Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) and Master of Public Administration (MPA) double master’s program at Florida International University. He can be reached at [email protected]. 

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