O’Neill students gain experience helping communities become more sustainable

Posted on November 14, 2022 by Leslie Wells

Woman stands in denim jacket and green shirt, smiling outside the Soldier and Sailors Monument in Indianapolis. — O’Neill MPA candidate Grace Olsen was selected to join the McKinney Climate Fellows program for summer 2022.

Written by: Grace Olsen, O’Neill MPA Candidate

As an MPA candidate focusing on Environmental Policy and Sustainability at O’Neill IUPUI, I’m keenly aware of the social benefits of tree canopies, especially in urban environments. Trees remove pollutants from the air, alleviate stormwater flooding, and provide cool shade on sunny days. However, these benefits are not equitably shared. IU’s Environmental Resilience Institute recognizes this disparity and joined the McKinney Climate Fellowship program to simultaneously help cities and students across Indiana by providing climate action planning and urban green infrastructure (UGI) fellowships.

When I learned of the opportunity from IU, I immediately researched the program. Its website provided testimonials of other students who completed the program and praised the great experiences offered. One of the best parts of the McKinney Climate Fellowship is that not every position is the same. Some roles are more focused on local issues while others are within nonprofits. I was interested in government roles connected to climate resilience. As a result, I applied for a fellowship within local government by prioritizing roles within the resiliency cohort on my application.

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Students find mental health support at O’Neill, IUPUI

Posted on November 7, 2022 by Leslie Wells

Written by: Mary Hampo (MPA’22)

If you are facing a non-emergency mental health challenge, contact CAPS at capsindy@iupui.edu or visit 719 Indiana Ave, Suite 220. More resources are available at https://helpmeroar.iupui.edu.

Sitting down to write a public blog about mental health—specifically bipolar and major depression—is hard. The thought of looking back and reliving some of the most difficult days in the past three years sounded like a terrible idea. Honestly, I almost decided to decline the offer.

My brain and struggles are unique to me yet also very similar to many other students’ situations. A recent study from the IU Public Policy Institute found that 21% of IUPUI students had unmet mental health needs. Knowing others out there are struggling like I did made me feel like passing up this opportunity to speak about this very personal issue would simply be selfish. They need to know others are there—on campus—to support them.

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Scholarship helps O’Neill students pursuing careers in public safety

Posted on October 31, 2022 by Leslie Wells

(L-R) O’Neill students Julia Ridgway, Jasmynn Mullen, Chase Settergren, Olivia Hale, and Candace Smallwood were awarded the Jason Baker Legacy Scholarship for the 2022-23 academic year.

One of the O’Neill School’s most prominent scholarship opportunities is the Jason Baker Legacy Scholarship. The fund honors the memory of O’Neill IUPUI alumnus and Marion County Sheriff Deputy Jason Baker, who was killed in the line of duty. His parents, Jerry and Sharon Baker, established the fund in memory of their son.

To apply for the scholarships, students must be pursuing a degree in public safety.

Both Olivia Hale and Candace Smallwood were previously awarded the scholarship. For the 2022–23 academic year, three new students were named as recipients: Jasmynn Mullen, Chase Settergren, and Julia Ridgway.

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O’Neill School celebrates 50 years of making a difference

Posted on October 24, 2022 by Leslie Wells

A woman stands at a wood podium, speaking to a crowd. A tall red banner is behind her with the words celebrating 50 years. In the foreground, we see two people watching the woman speak. — O’Neill School Dean Siân Mooney speaks to attendees at the O’Neill 50th Anniversary Celebration in Bloomington.

Written by: Leslie Wells and Ken Bikoff

2022 marks a major milestone for majoring in making a difference. It’s the 50th anniversary of the founding of the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs—a recognition of five decades of O’Neill students, alumni, faculty, and staff changing the world.

“The O’Neill School’s great strength is its unique ability to support science in service to society,” said Dean Siân Mooney. “O’Neill alumni have a long record of leadership and accomplishments, creating and implementing public policies that make a positive difference for Indiana and beyond.”

That tradition began in 1972, when Indiana University announced it was creating a new school, one that would focus on solving the world’s problems through a multisector approach to public service.

“There was considerable concern among faculty, staff, and students that we needed to make the university relevant to solving the problems of the real world,” Charles Bonser noted during the school’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2012.

Bonser was the founding dean of what was then known as the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

Six years after the school was established, it expanded into the heart of Indianapolis at IUPUI. The new location provided O’Neill and its students with direct access to a bustling downtown city center, ripe with urban opportunities for involvement in state government as well as high-profile nonprofit and private-sector organizations that could make an impact on the community and beyond.

The new location also provided room for the expansion of O’Neill’s programs. In addition to degrees in public affairs, management, and sustainability, O’Neill IUPUI provided new opportunities for students to study criminal justice and public safety management all within a major metropolitan area. (more…)

O’Neill alum keeps purpose as career shifts

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Leslie Wells

A woman sits at a desk in her office, smiling while typing on the keyboard. — Kerri Alford (BSCJ’14) has used a diverse O’Neill degree to serve in many roles in the criminal justice field and now in education.

Kerri Alford (BSCJ’14) helps teens and young adults find their futures. After working as a career transition specialist for Atterbury Job Corps, guiding students into careers, she’s now an instructor with the program.

Some of the 16–24-year-olds she works with have been involved in the criminal justice system, but she’s quick to point out many haven’t—a misconception she says many people have about the program. Some students come to complete their high school degrees. Others come for trade job training programs.

Looking back, Alford sees how her past led to her present. It’s the culmination of her interests, experiences, and opportunities.

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