2020 Student Summit

The 2020 Annual Conference will feature a full-day Student and New Professional Summit, providing this special group of new public administrators with a valuable opportunity to gain some career development resources as they get started with their new degrees.

Check out the program below and make sure you register for this event!

This event comes free with a full conference registration. You may register for just this day for only $50. Non-member students may add a 12-month membership to their registration for only $49. Contact us for more information.

Getting Started
8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

A career in public service can mean any number of things, and for many, those definitions change throughout your time in the workplace. What level of government is of most interest to you and what topic area is most inspiring? Where are your skills best suited and what kind of schedule will work best for your work/life balance? How do you know when it’s time to change from role in the profession to another, and how do you go about embracing that transition? These are all questions to consider as you plan for life beyond your degree. Our expert will address these questions and more from his personal perspective.

Presenter
Jos Raaschelders, Professor and Associate Dean, The Ohio State University

Success!
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Just as a career in public service can meet myriad definitions, being successful is a very personal and varying distinction. Before we get into the nitty gritty of professional development, we’ll spend an hour hearing from a panel of people about their path toward “success,” and their plans to keep going in the future.

Presenters
Janice Lachance, Executive Vice President, American Geophysical Union
Malcolm Oliver, Associate Dean, Excelsior College
Scott Pattison
Merret Stierheim, Retired Miami-Dade County Florida Manager and Chair, LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy Advisory Board
Randi Kay Stephens, Associate Program Manager, Institute for Local Government

Networking Break
9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.

 

Resumes and CVs: Selling Yourself
9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Now that you have given some thought to your career aspirations, it’s time to tailor your resume or CV to match. Whether you’re 22 or 52, your life experiences, previous job history, skills, languages, publications, expert projects and more could fill pages. What of that is most valuable to a future employer and what of it is most relevant to what you want to do next? This workshop will walk you through dos and don’ts, frequent mistakes made and the critical details needed to be included on either a CV or a resume, depending on where your future takes you. Bring a copy of your paperwork and all of your questions; you’ll need them to make the most of this session. Q-and-A time will be provided.

Presenters
Rachel Emas, Assistant Teaching Professor, Rutgers University—Newark
William P. Shields, Jr., Executive Director, American Society for Public Administration and Adjunct Professor, American University

Cover Letters: Why Do They Matter?
10:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

At its simplest, if your cover letter only repeats what a future employer will see on your resume or CV, you’re not writing it correctly. Cover letters are important piece of your application, no matter the job for which you are applying. We will take a few minutes to talk through how to best use a cover letter from a variety of professional angles. Experience examples, must-use language, cover letter protocol and more will be addressed.

Presenters
Jonathan Anderson, Moderator, California State University, San Bernardino
Janice Lachance, Executive Vice President, American Geophysical Union
Charles Menifield, Dean, School of Public Affairs and Administration, Rutgers University—Newark

Lunch
11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

 

The Job Search
12:15 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Not all job searches are created equal and not all search engines will turn up relevant results. We will look at some of the prominent sources out there for public service jobs and careers, how to best use keyword searches to find even more opportunities and where to look creatively when standard stones are turned. Two tenured minds in the profession are at your disposal to help you think through the best way to engage in a strategically focused job search. Make the most of this opportunity!

Presenters
Bob Behn, Chief Flunky, Harvard University
Joe Mitchell, Director of Strategic Initiatives and International Programs, National Academy of Public Administration

The Interview
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Congratulations! You have an interview. How do you make sure it goes well? Our expert will provide you with key tips, musts and nevers to ensure you make a good impression, hopefully get a call-back and, even better, get the job! Bring your questions—better to ask now than to make a mistake later!

Presenters
Lindsay McDougle, Professor, Rutgers University—Newark

Networking
2:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Networking: More Than Happy Hours and Business Cards
2:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

Need we say more? To be truly effective at networking, you must integrate it into your daily life. Yes, happy hours are helpful and you should always have business cards in your pocket—but that is because those habits are just two pieces of a larger puzzle. So are: staying connected with former colleagues and friends; checking in with acquaintances periodically to keep your name on their radar; building relationships with new contacts; knowing when to push yourself and your need onto others—and how hard to do so; and making plans for social gatherings, whether you “need” anything or not. Networking, done best, is a daily habit and yields important, regular returns. Learn how to do it well during this session.

Presenters
J. Paul Blake, Retired
Adrian Velasquez Vasquez, Associate Professor of Public Administration, University of La Verne

Candidates’ Conversation and Awards Presentation
2:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

We’ll wrap up this day with some closing thoughts from those currently or recently engaged in the hiring process. Learn from their perspectives before you set out on your own path! We’ll also honor this year’s student scholarship winners.

Presenters
Ana-Maria Dimand, ASPA Student Representative and Doctoral Student, Florida International University
Cristina Stanica, Visiting Lecturer, Northeastern University
Anthony Starke, Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Denver
Shilpa Viswanath, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse
Parisa Vinzant, Graduate Student, University of Delaware