Taking the Classroom to Town Hall: Advancing Public Affairs Education through University-Municipal Collaborations

Abstract

English poet John Donne (1624) wrote, “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” These words resonate in today’s complex environment of public administration, where it is imperative to share knowledge, information, skills, and resources in order to govern effectively. Collaboration between colleges and universities and the public sector provide one such mechanism for enhancing the problem solving and service capacity of state and local governments while at the same time expanding learning opportunities for students of public affairs. While university-community partnerships can enhance higher education across the disciplines, collaboration with local governments is particularly important for preparing the next generation of students for public management.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Reid Wodicka

Reid Wodicka is a PhD student in Public Policy at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His research includes local government and nonprofit management and emergency management. He is the former Town Manager of Elkton, Virginia.

Nicholas Swartz

Nicholas Swartz is an assistant professor of public policy and administration and Director of the Masters in Public Administration program at James Madison University. His research areas include urban policy, regionalism, universitycommunity collaboration, and economic development.

Liliokanaio Peaslee

Liliokanaio Peaslee is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at James Madison University. Her research includes work in youth development, mentoring, community policing, civic engagement, and universitycommunity partnerships.