Student researchers share how Indiana could alleviate homelessness, food insecurity

Posted on January 13, 2025 by Leslie Wells

A woman's hand points at sticky notes on a wall that are titled with various housing-related words. — Student research at the IU Public Policy Institute work on a wide range of issues, including homelessness and housing.

By Nikki Livingston
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The O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs provides opportunities for students from across Indiana University Indianapolis to gain real-world experience while making a difference. One of those experiences involves working as student research assistants at the IU Public Policy Institute where students help improve the lives of individuals and provide analysis on public policy issues.

PPI conducts data-driven applied research and analysis, and provides guidance that is objective, insightful, and nonpartisan. Student research assistants help with that work by supporting research projects throughout the academic year.

The most recent student-authored policy briefs were part of PPI’s Decision 2024 campaign. The topics of the student briefs were determined by recent proposals in the Indiana General Assembly and shared insights on how to tackle homelessness, address food insecurity, and identify the barriers to student success for LGBTQ+ youth.

“Allowing student researchers to pursue their own areas of interest provides a great opportunity for them to expand their skillsets, learn new ones or possibly further their research interest,” PPI Program Analyst Elizabeth Thuranira said. Thuranira and others at PPI helped oversee the student projects.

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IU Executive Education: Keys to building a trust-based culture and a culture of psychological safety

Posted on December 16, 2024 by Leslie Wells

A woman stands at the front of a conference room writing on a white board while attendees sit at a table watching her lead the class. — IU Executive Education’s IHA Management Institute provides training for leaders in healthcare.

Written by: Sara Johnson, FACHE
Interim Director, IU Executive Education
Director, Indiana Hospital Association Management Institute

Psychological safety has been defined by Great Places to Work as “a shared belief that team members feel safe to take risks, share ideas, and make mistakes without fear of negative consequences.” To create psychological safety in your team and organization, you must begin with building trust. At IU Executive Education, we focus on teaching people how to strengthen their own leadership and enhance their organization’s effectiveness.

As a leader, that journey starts by addressing the culture within your own team and using intentional strategies to build trust and create a culture of psychological safety.

Building trust as a new manager

As a new manager, establishing trust within your team is essential for effective leadership. Here are three key strategies to help you foster a trusting environment:

Embrace transparency: Share information openly with your team. Be honest about what you know and what you don’t. This clarity helps to eliminate uncertainty and builds confidence among your staff, allowing them to feel informed and included.
Be reliable: Consistency is vital in leadership. Ensure your messaging and treatment of others—whether colleagues or external partners—are steady and dependable. When your team knows they can rely on you, it reinforces their trust in your leadership.
Stay authentic: Authenticity is crucial in building genuine connections. Be yourself and avoid trying to fit a mold. If you act differently with different groups, your team will sense the inconsistency, which can undermine their trust. Show them your true self to cultivate a deeper sense of trust and respect.

By focusing on transparency, reliability, and authenticity, you not only enhance trust within your team but also model these behaviors for them to adopt as they grow in their careers. Building a culture of psychological safety and trust will empower your team to thrive, ultimately leading to better service to your stakeholders and more organizational success.

As you journey throughout your career, keep in mind that as leaders, someone is always watching how you lead, and they learn from you. Build that trust-based culture and you not only see the results now, but you will see the results in those who learn from you and how they lead into the future.

Interning with the Department of Homeland Security at FEMA Headquarters

Posted on December 9, 2024 by Leslie Wells

A woman sits on the floor of a glass tunnel wearing a red IU Indianapolis shirt. — O’Neill’s Faith Odiete secured an internship with FEMA at the Department of Homeland Security’s headquarters in summer 2024.

Written by: Faith Odiete (BSCJ’24, MPA Candidate)

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Headquarters in Washington, D.C. I found the position on the USA Jobs website and decided to apply because of my strong interest in public service and wanting to work for the federal government. The application process required a lot of preparation, but my background and experiences helped me stand out. When I received the offer, I was thrilled to take on a role that aligned so closely with my career goals.

At FEMA, I worked in the Acquisition Management and Business Relations Branch. My main responsibilities included helping with acquisition planning, disaster preparedness, developing policies to support FEMA’s mission, reviewing SOPs, and conducting program reviews. I also assisted with data reporting and analysis, which gave me a better understanding of how FEMA manages resources to prepare for and respond to disasters. The work was challenging but incredibly rewarding because I knew that what I was doing was making a real difference.

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From career fair to career: O’Neill student makes connection that sparked internship, career in probation

Posted on December 2, 2024 by Leslie Wells

Three women stand in front of a welcome banner, two of whom are holding recognition plaques. — O’Neill alumna Alyssa Jones credits O’Neill’s Community Safety Career Day with launching her internship and career in probation.

As Alyssa Jones sat in a Marion County Probation appointment room in early 2024, she was focused on the person across the table. Their probation sentence was beginning, and she was asking questions, doing a risk assessment, talking through the expectations, and discussing the support she could provide along the way.

“Everybody’s going through something and not everyone comes from the same background,” she explains. “A lot of the people I saw felt like they’re stuck, like there were no other options than whatever they did to end up here. We were there to help them realize they do have other options.”

That desire to help was at the center of what Jones always wanted to do with her life.

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Empowering rural development in Nepal: New study abroad course focuses on renewable energy

Posted on November 25, 2024 by Leslie Wells

A woman wearing safety gear carries a solar panel, with mountains in the background. — The O’Neill School is offering a new summer study abroad course centered on solar microgrids in Nepal.

Written by: Amber Greaney, O’Neill alumna and associate faculty member

Imagine going about your life when suddenly a 7.3 magnitude earthquake strikes. Your school is destroyed, social upheaval ensues, and landslides leave your village isolated from the rest of the country. The energy infrastructure is down, and it could take more than a decade to restore power. This is not a fictional tragedy; it reflects the urgent reality that has unfolded in Nepal.

Following the 2015 earthquake, 30% of Nepal lost access to electricity. While most disaster relief efforts around the world rely on gasoline and diesel generators, those are both expensive solutions. In response to these challenges, solar power has become a beacon of hope for recovery in Nepal. Microgrids—small, decentralized energy systems that generate and distribute electricity—have emerged as a viable solution for electrification in remote areas. Distributed energy systems like microgrids offer a realistic and resilient approach to addressing the challenges of energy infrastructure.

The O’Neill School is now offering a new study abroad course that will not only help install a new microgrid in one of the Nepalese communities still without power but will also provide real-life lessons for students.

The course

From May 10–20, 2025, students can join associate faculty member Amber Greaney for this unique study abroad experience. The intensive 10-day course will take students on a transformative journey where they’ll engage in hands-on learning and make a tangible impact in local communities. Participation is not just a learning experience but a crucial part of the solution.

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