Managers in the Classroom

Having a practitioner involved in teaching in your MPA program matters. Frankly, it’s why I am in the profession of local government management, because I took a class from an adjunct faculty member, who was a former County Manager. There’s something uniquely powerful about stepping into a classroom—not just with theory, but with lived experience.

As a public administration practitioner, teaching isn’t just about sharing what’s in the textbook. It’s about bringing real-world challenges, hard-earned lessons, and the nuance of day-to-day governance into the learning space. And yes, the occasional “war story”  - just don’t overdo it!

Students benefit from stories that aren’t hypothetical. They hear what happens when policy meets politics, when budgets get tight, and when leadership is tested. And we, as practitioners, benefit too—it sharpens our thinking, keeps us curious, and reminds us why we do this work in the first place. It’s also genuinely fun and engaging and invigorating to work with the next generation of leaders. Lastly, it’s an opportunity to build further connections and to pay it forward via post-class mentorship and advising.  Bridging practice and academia builds stronger public servants—and that benefits everyone.