The Importance of Community Service for a Public Administrator
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
By Stephen Corcoran
June 11, 2019
Public Administration is a people oriented degree and profession which instructs and educates individuals to lead and manage in the public, nonprofit and private sectors. Those with a public administration background, whether they be scholars, professionals or students, should all share a common bond and purpose in serving the public and giving back to their respective community.
Also, since the field of public administration is so broad, being involved in the community (such as Church, a nonprofit organization, local government board or a civic organization) also gives us the opportunity to network, give back from an altruistic point of view and meet like-minded people who could potentially provide future professional connections that help us grow. This could be important if one were to switch over to another sector in his or her career. Also, learning new skills while involved with a local organization could be indispensable. While I consider myself more on the newer side of public administration, I feel that I have received a lot of invaluable experience while working for Montgomery County and being involved in the community.
While being both a Montgomery County employee and involved in my community, I get the opportunity to see first-hand the differences that people can make in other’s everyday lives. Over the last five and a half years, I have been employed by the Montgomery County Adult Probation Department, handling support work right outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This is where I get the chance every day to see the differences people can make in other people’s lives and help them get on the straight and narrow path in life and succeed.
During my first year or two while working for the Adult Probation Department, I took the opportunity that Montgomery County gives its employees to go back to school and get reimbursed for continuing my education in a subject in which could help my job. I went back to school and studied public administration at West Chester University. While in graduate school, I learned that there was a lot more to public administration and that it covered a broader range of subjects then I ever had realized. The two years of graduate school, that I had at West Chester University were invaluable and inspired me to serve my local community.
Since, I graduated from West Chester University, I have had the privilege to serve on a couple of local committees in the area. One is at the YMCA in West Chester. The committee is for the Chester County Challenge for Cancer Bike Ride, which supports both the patients and cancer program at the Chester County Hospital. I have also been active with the Knights of Columbus (which is a fraternal Catholic organization for gentlemen who are over eighteen years old and are practicing Catholics) for over five years. I am also very involved with my home parish, St. Agnes Catholic Church. While I have really just began my career, I feel that these experiences serving the community will help me with my career down the road in terms of networking and meeting a diverse group of people.
Being involved in these organizations and committees has given me an opportunity to learn about the organizations (which are nonprofit organizations) from a different perspective in which I may have never learned if I did not join them. These opportunities have also given me the chance to meet people who share similar interests and goals. I also believe that I have learned skills from my community service that can transition into my professional career.
I would encourage all who are in the public administration field, whether you are a student, scholar or professional, to find time to get involved in at least one organization within the local community that you are passionate about and give back to that organization. It is not only rewarding from a generous point of view, but also from a networking perspective. It could lay down a foundation for your career in public administration. The experience will also provide an invaluable learning experience where you may acquire new skills.
Author: I am a graduate of Pennsylvania State University where I received my Bachelor of Arts in History (2009) and of West Chester University where I earned my Master of Public Administration (2016). I am currently employed by the Montgomery County Adult Probation Department. I am engaged and my fiancée’s name is Jennifer, we will be married in June 2019. My email is [email protected] and am a member of the Pennsylvania Keystone Chapter.
(2 votes, average: 2.00 out of 5)
Loading...
The Importance of Community Service for a Public Administrator
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
By Stephen Corcoran
June 11, 2019
Public Administration is a people oriented degree and profession which instructs and educates individuals to lead and manage in the public, nonprofit and private sectors. Those with a public administration background, whether they be scholars, professionals or students, should all share a common bond and purpose in serving the public and giving back to their respective community.
Also, since the field of public administration is so broad, being involved in the community (such as Church, a nonprofit organization, local government board or a civic organization) also gives us the opportunity to network, give back from an altruistic point of view and meet like-minded people who could potentially provide future professional connections that help us grow. This could be important if one were to switch over to another sector in his or her career. Also, learning new skills while involved with a local organization could be indispensable. While I consider myself more on the newer side of public administration, I feel that I have received a lot of invaluable experience while working for Montgomery County and being involved in the community.
While being both a Montgomery County employee and involved in my community, I get the opportunity to see first-hand the differences that people can make in other’s everyday lives. Over the last five and a half years, I have been employed by the Montgomery County Adult Probation Department, handling support work right outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This is where I get the chance every day to see the differences people can make in other people’s lives and help them get on the straight and narrow path in life and succeed.
During my first year or two while working for the Adult Probation Department, I took the opportunity that Montgomery County gives its employees to go back to school and get reimbursed for continuing my education in a subject in which could help my job. I went back to school and studied public administration at West Chester University. While in graduate school, I learned that there was a lot more to public administration and that it covered a broader range of subjects then I ever had realized. The two years of graduate school, that I had at West Chester University were invaluable and inspired me to serve my local community.
Since, I graduated from West Chester University, I have had the privilege to serve on a couple of local committees in the area. One is at the YMCA in West Chester. The committee is for the Chester County Challenge for Cancer Bike Ride, which supports both the patients and cancer program at the Chester County Hospital. I have also been active with the Knights of Columbus (which is a fraternal Catholic organization for gentlemen who are over eighteen years old and are practicing Catholics) for over five years. I am also very involved with my home parish, St. Agnes Catholic Church. While I have really just began my career, I feel that these experiences serving the community will help me with my career down the road in terms of networking and meeting a diverse group of people.
Being involved in these organizations and committees has given me an opportunity to learn about the organizations (which are nonprofit organizations) from a different perspective in which I may have never learned if I did not join them. These opportunities have also given me the chance to meet people who share similar interests and goals. I also believe that I have learned skills from my community service that can transition into my professional career.
I would encourage all who are in the public administration field, whether you are a student, scholar or professional, to find time to get involved in at least one organization within the local community that you are passionate about and give back to that organization. It is not only rewarding from a generous point of view, but also from a networking perspective. It could lay down a foundation for your career in public administration. The experience will also provide an invaluable learning experience where you may acquire new skills.
Author: I am a graduate of Pennsylvania State University where I received my Bachelor of Arts in History (2009) and of West Chester University where I earned my Master of Public Administration (2016). I am currently employed by the Montgomery County Adult Probation Department. I am engaged and my fiancée’s name is Jennifer, we will be married in June 2019. My email is [email protected] and am a member of the Pennsylvania Keystone Chapter.
Follow Us!