O’Neill alumna returns to earn master’s degree through specialized MPA

Posted on August 21, 2023 by Leslie Wells

A woman stands in a pedestrian tube wearing a red IUPUI shirt. She's smiling and has both hands in the pockets of her jeans. — O’Neill MPA candidate Andrea Fisher (BSCJ’23) is advancing her degree through a unique MPA track that lets her specialize her studies in her area of interest. (Photo Credit: Liz Kaye)

It was just three months ago that Andrea Fisher was preparing for commencement. She had completed her Criminal Justice bachelor’s degree with O’Neill in just two years thanks to earning her associate’s degree while still in high school.

“I chose criminal justice because I felt like the only way to make the difference is from the inside,” she says. “Being an advocate for those who can’t advocate for themselves is a major propellant for me.”

Now, she’s starting a new semester at IUPUI, back in the classroom working on her next degree. She wanted to expand her opportunity for impact by pursuing a unique Master of Public Affairs track, specializing her studies in her specific area of interest. Fisher hopes pursuing a specialized MPA will eventually lead her to law school.

“An MPA allows me to broaden my career opportunities both within the justice and legal systems and within nonprofit organizations, the government, and other avenues,” she explains. “In public affairs, I can make a great career out of advocacy work and public policy. And with a law background on my side, it will make me stronger voice.” (more…)

Nathan Cook: Environmental policy in the Global South

Posted on August 14, 2023 by Leslie Wells

A man with a beard and glasses is wearing a suit. In the background is a city and a mountain skyline. — O’Neill Assistant Professor Nathan Cook

From his home base in Indianapolis, O’Neill Assistant Professor Nathan Cook is working on projects from around the world, specifically in what is known as the Global South—what some call the developing world.

In countries throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America, Cook looks at common-pool resources—things like groundwater basins, shared irrigation systems, rainforests, and other resources used collectively by rural communities.

Cook’s studies have taken him to various countries throughout his career, including Nepal where the government allows village-level committees of local people to manage most of the nation’s forests.

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From intern to employee: State Fairgrounds offers chance to learn real-world lessons

Posted on August 7, 2023 by Leslie Wells

A man stands outside in front of the midway sign at the Indiana State Fair. The sky is blue with a few clouds. He's wearing a public safety uniform. — O’Neill Criminal Justice major Tyler Adams stands outside the midway at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

O’Neill Criminal Justice major Tyler Adams started his first college internship before he even started classes. It was summer 2022 and he had just finished high school.

“In previous years, I would be in conditioning for the next school-year sport, but that was over,” he says. “And I’m just not a person who can sit and do nothing.”

Even though he was still three months away from beginning his courses with O’Neill, Adams was already plugged in. He received an email from the O’Neill School with an opportunity connected to his major: an internship in emergency management with the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

“It connected with working in public safety and gave me the opportunity to help and meet new people in a new environment while gaining experience for my future career,” he explains.

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Courtney Page-Tan: Preparing communities and students for the future

Posted on July 31, 2023 by Leslie Wells

A woman stands against a white wall with her hand on her hip. She's wearing red glasses and a red blazer. — O’Neill Assistant Professor Courtney Page-Tan.

When disaster strikes, a community’s resilience is put to the test. Whether the cause is natural, political, man-made, or technological, Courtney Page-Tan works to understand how communities can withstand, recover from, and even thrive amid and after disasters.

Her interest in community resilience can be traced back to a single moment, one the entire world witnessed: the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that devastated parts of Asia.

“That event catalyzed my interest in how we can build community resilience and potentially address the resilience inequities that exist in some of our most vulnerable communities,” Page-Tan explains.

She says—now more than ever—it’s critical to build community resilience because of increasing and new threats due to climate change.

“If we can build systems and communities that are more resilient to issues like urban heat and flooding, we can potentially mitigate some of the worst outcomes of these stressors,” Page-Tan says.

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IU Executive Education reaches milestone with IHA Management Institute

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Leslie Wells

Two women sit at a table together laughing and smiling. — The IHA Management Institute celebrated its 50th cohort in early 2023.

Tom DeCoster was there for the first Indiana Hospital Association Management Institute cohort in 1990. At the time, he was the founding director of IU Executive Education and helped create and teach the Management Institute.

Thirty-three years later, the core lessons he taught then still ring true for leaders today. DeCoster now serves as professor emeritus for Executive Education, helping leaders better understand themselves and their work. In the context of employee engagement, the mantra he tries to instill in them: “I do not need to be—nor should I be—the source of solution to every challenge.”

He says many participants must learn to let go to be more effective—a lesson that comes with maturity, experience, and a better understanding of themselves as leaders. That’s where the Management Institute comes into play.

Since its inception, more than 2,500 health care leaders have made their way through the program, including the 50th cohort in early 2023.

Group of individuals stand on a stage holding certificates. — The 50th cohort of the IHA Management Institute

“The fact that IU Executive Education has sustained such a strong and positive relationship with more than 50 cohorts speaks well to our commitment to growing leaders, to superior classroom instruction, and to our partnership with IHA,” DeCoster says.

For current Director of IU Executive Education Sara Johnson, the 50th cohort represented a milestone not only for the IHA Management Institute but also for health care in Indiana.

“Together with IHA, we have trained thousands of managers who serve health care organizations across Indiana to the benefit of their patients and communities,” she says.

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