college of liberal arts & sciences

A NEWSLETTER FROM THE ScHOOL OF PubLic SERvicE

20102011 vOLuME THREE

inside
faculty
Letter from the director: J. Patrick Murphy New faculty profiles

Students, faculty explore future of nonprofit education field at BenchMark 3.5 Conference
In lieu of taking a week off, several SPS students and faculty members spent their spring break in Southern California immersed in an international academic conference focused on education for nonprofit managers. The SPS representatives attended BenchMark 3.5, the 2011 Conference on Nonprofit and Philanthropic Studies, sponsored by the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC) in San Diego from March 24-27. Benchmark conferences on the development of the nonprofit management education field typically occur once every 10 yearsin 1986, 1996 and most recently, 2006. However, NACC representatives recognized the need for another conference before the scheduled 2016 event in light of the rapidly changing and expanding field. The 2011 conference theme was Nonprofit Educators: Learning, Leading and Creating the Future, which reflected on how far the field of nonprofit management, philanthropic studies and social entrepreneurship and enterprise have come since the mid-1980s. Faculty and students represented the school well as SPS Director and NACC President J. Patrick Murphy and SPS Professor

students
Student profile: Kelly slay Student achievements

SPS Professor Ron Fernandes presents to participants of the BenchMark 3.5 Conference in March.

alumni
Alumnus excels in emergency management field

study abroad
urban planning in curitiba, brazil Public policy process in brussels

Ron Fernandes presented Models of Study Abroad Programs for Graduate Nonprofit Programs. Fernandes also presented Building Bridges Online: Some Institutional Challenges to Develop Online Programs in Nonprofit Management and Strategies to Overcome Them. Student Courtney Rowe presented Women in Peace Building NGOs: A Call for Increased Female Participation and Visibility.
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RESEARCH PROFILE

Rebecca Steffenson

chaddick hay
carsharing industry tax burdened Hay updates

Research delves into Chicago-area knowledge transfers

As a political scientist by training, SPS Professor Rebecca Steffensons research initiatives lie in mapping and analyzing institutional relationships between governmental and non-governmental actors designed to open markets and improve economic competitiveness. Within the field of international relations, she has studied the institutionalization of transatlantic economic relationships for the past decade. Her current research examines how the Lisbon Treaty has affected networked governance between the European Union and the United States. Steffenson recently presented her research at the Current Issues in EU Governance Conference and co-hosted the event with Bryan Endres, director of the University of Illinois EU Center. Five SPS students attended the conference which included research presentations from faculty across the Midwest. Steffensons move back to Illinois after living nearly a decade in Europe presented her with the opportunity to develop a second field of research focused on regional economic development. She currently is working with
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events
SPS students support Zafn SPS ranks in top 100
Steffenson

faculty
LETTER FROM THE DiREcTOR J. PATRICK MURPHY
We learned recently that U.S.News and World Report ranked our school in the top 100 schools of public affairs. This puts us in very good company with other institutions we respect. The new rankings are based on survey responses from deans, directors and department chairs representing 269 master degree programs. Most of the schools in the top 100 are at research I institutions and many have doctoral programs. We all know to question national rankings, but it is still nice to be recognized by our peers as one of the top schools of public affairs even though we are not a school of public affairs. At a recent conference on nonprofit management education, alumna and part-time instructor Nonie Brennan met several participants who asked her where she was from, to which she responded, DePaul University, School of Public Service. The retort was always international by design. Nonie was leading a small group of students who attended the conference as part of a course. The students taught social media and how to use it during one session and blogged about conference presentations, conducted video interviews and so on. By the end of the conference, several had been asked about job prospects after the degreeand received comments like, We need someone like you where I work, would you consider working for us? I was a guest lecturer in Mike Frigos finance class recently, going on and on about Vincent de Paul and leadership when a student interrupted me. She said, I am nearly finished with my degreeIve taken eight or nine courses so far and in every course St. Vincent comes up. She went on to make a point, but I focused on her statement about Vincent and his values and vision coming up in every course. I was dumbfounded. When I told our president, Fr. Holtschneider, this story, I added that no one would be able to make the same claim anywhere else in the university. He agreed. Marketing professionals would call it penetrationour values and distinctive features are penetrating the market. I couldnt be more proud. Another development in the same vein is the upgrade of our ethics course. We are one of the few programs of our kind that requires a course in ethics for all students, all degrees. The faculty beefed up that requirement from two to four credit hours and positioned it at the end of the degree so students could use ethics as a lens to review all aspects of the curricula and further synthesizewith the capstonetheir learning. (Many students complained that two hours for ethics were not enough). I believe strengthening the amount, content and placement of ethics in our curriculum will further distinguish us in the field. Just as we are known as international by design, someday we will also be known as a school of ethics for leaders. All of this happens only because and through our students and alumni. I am deeply grateful.

New Faculty Profiles

SPS will welcome several new faculty members beginning in the fall 2011 quarter. Adrienne Holloway, Assistant Professor Holloway served as a visiting assistant professor for SPS during the 20102011 academic year and was named assistant professor tenure track during winter quarter. She earned her Ph.D. in political science from Northern Illinois University and her M.P.A. from the National Urban Fellows Program at Baruch College. Prior to coming to DePaul she taught at Aurora University and Lone Star College. Mark Light, Assistant Professor Light earned his Ph.D. at Antioch University in leadership and change and an MBA from UCLA. He currently teaches at Wright State University, Raj Soin College of Business Administration and at Case Western Reserve University, Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations. Light is president of First Light Group LLC, a consulting firm. His latest book was published this spring, Results Now for Nonprofits: Purpose, Strategy, Operations, and Governance, John Wiley, 2011. Ramya Ramanath, Assistant Professor Ramanath currently is an assistant professor at Grand Valley State University School of Public and Nonprofit Administration. She earned her Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in environmental design and planning with a concentration in nonprofit management and leadership. Ramanath has served as a consultant in development finance in Mumbai and as project coordinator for the Indian Association for Savings & Credit, Tamilnadu, India. John Ronquillo, Assistant Professor Ronquillo is finishing his Ph.D. in public administration and policy at the University of Georgia and expects to graduate in May. He earned an M.P.A. and a B.A. in journalism and mass communication, both from Arizona State University. Ronquillo served as a policy and research analyst for the Arizona Association of Counties and interim executive director of the State of Arizona Constable Ethics Committee. He won the Emerging Scholar Award from ARNOVA in 2009. SueAnn Strom, Assistant Director Strom holds an M.A. in guidance and counseling from John Carroll University and a Ph.D. in philosophy in the Department of Higher and Adult Education from the University of Missouri. She served as associate vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at Macon State College, vice president of Student Affairs at Southeast Missouri State University and has held several other administrative leadership roles at various institutions. Strom is a member of the Editorial Board of Reviewers for the Journal of Nonprofit Leadership and Education and serves on the ARNOVA Education Committee.

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students

PROFILE

Kelly Slay

Degree candidate: M.S. in public service management

slay pursues Ph.d., goal to advocate for underrepresented students

SPS student Kelly Slays recent acceptance into the University of Michigan School of Education doctoral program has taken her one step further toward her mission to help underrepresented minority students reach college. As a first generation college student and native of Detroit, Slay found a passion to advocate for students after witnessing and experiencing first-hand the challenges that low to middle-income students and their families face. There is a huge gap in Detroit public schools, she said. Many students there arent prepared for college or are overlooked. People cared enough about me to help me reach my goals. I am thankful for that and feel that now I need to do my part. Slay will graduate in August with an M.S. in public service management with a concentration in higher education administration. She will start classes this fall in the University of Michigans Ph.D. program in the School of Educations Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education, specializing in the area of academic affairs and student development. Because of her exemplary academic record, Slay received the Rackham School of Graduate Studies Education Scholar Award, a competitive fellowship. Throughout the five-year program, she will research college access and academic success for students she cares so much aboutunderrepresented minority youth. I want to research not just how to get these students in the door to college, but also policies that encourage their academic success and timely graduation, she said. While she plans to study the factors that affect underrepresented students in her doctoral program, Slay also is doing something about the issue now. She coaches students at Little Village High School in Chicago on the college admission process. Slay also serves as a graduate assistant for Vincent on Leadership: The Hay Project and is an intern at DePauls Office of Multicultural Student Success.

Slay

Post-doctoral program, Slays goal is to become a professor of education at a university. Her long-term goal is to hold an administrative role such as a provost or vice president. She also plans to develop her own nonprofit that prepares underrepresented minority students for college success and hopes to have the organization fully functional by the time she finishes her Ph.D. Now, as Slay prepares to start her journey at the University of Michigan, she is confident her determination and faith will continue to guide her as she takes on an exciting, but challenging experience. I dont think my story is possiblecoming from where I came from without God, she said. Every step of the way, in all of the opportunities Ive had, God has always directed me. My Ph.D. will give me an opportunity to serve his people and for that I am thankful. It has been great to study at an institution where I can be vocal about this very important aspect of my life.

Faculty Achievements
Chris Einolf presented Cross-National Gender Differences in Giving, an International Perspective at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana Universitys 22nd Annual Symposium: Women Worldwide Leading Through Philanthropy in early March. Adrienne Holloway, presented Suburban Municipal Characteristics That Attract Housing Choice Voucher Households: A Test of the Tiebout Hypothesis, at the Midwest Political Science Association Conference in April. Marco Tavanti published Responsible Management Education in Practice: The Principles and Processes for Educating Socially Responsible and World Engaged Leaders in the Handbook of Research on Teaching Ethics in Business and Management Education. He also was selected to participate in the First Annual Conference on Arab Philanthropy and Civic Engagement to present a model for international community engagement for capacity building at Columbia Universitys Center for Arabic Studies in Amman, Jordan, in mid-April. There, he presented Academic Civic Engagement for Capacity Building: The Role of Universities in Building Sustainable Philanthropy Through Multi-Sector Partnerships in the Middle East with co-author Nesreen Akhtarkhavari. Woods Bowmans paper The Nonprofit Difference was published in the spring issue of The Nonprofit Quarterly. He also served on a panel at a land policy conference sponsored by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy on May 23-24 in Cambridge, Mass. The conference theme was Prospects for Land Value Capture. Joe Schwieterman joined a delegation that included Mayor Richard M. Daley and Senators Richard Durbin and Mark Kirk at OHare International Airport on March 28 to announce the historic agreement between the city and the airlines to build the southern runway at OHare airport. Schwietermans comments about the deal appeared in Associated Press and USA Today articles and on WBBM News Radio 780.

Student Achievements
Antwon Bailey was selected to participate in the Heartland International Young Turkey/ Young America Exchange Program for Emerging Grassroots Leadersa two-year program with exchange dates in spring and fall of 2011. Leaders from Turkey arrived in Chicago in early April to participate in training and professional development. U.S. participants will travel to Turkey in the fall for another two weeks of training. Highlights of the program include meetings with the Consul General of Turkey and a presentation to the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C. Courtney Rowe recently accepted a full-time position as a program coordinator with the International Human Rights Law Institute (IHRLI) at DePauls College of Law, where she held an internship between 2009 and 2010. Prior to accepting this new position with IHRLI, she was a graduate research assistant with the DePaul Social Science Research Center. Jacob Adams, Wilmar Molina, Jessica Taylor and Rebecca McAlpine were selected to participate in the National Mayors Summit on City Design in late April. Summit participants celebrated 25 years of the Mayors Institute on City Design, honored the design legacy of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and explored and promoted the critical importance of design in urban environments. Cristina Gomez recently accepted the position of associate director at CCS Fundraising. Gomez will travel around the country to help nonprofit organizations raise money to expand programming and become more secure. Students, send us your recent milestones and achievements including awards, new initiatives and published works to share with the SPS community. Please email submissions to ecurtis4@depaul.edu.

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alumni
PROFILE

Tom Sivak

alumnus finds consistent ties between sPs, emergency management fieldwork

Even from his teen years serving as a volunteer firefighter while attending high school in New York, SPS alumnus Tom Sivak knew he wanted to work in the field of emergency management in some capacity. Years later and after earning his M.S. in public service management in 2010, Sivak has fulfilled his goal to become a successful practitioner in the field. In February, he took on the position of emergency management coordinator for the Indianapolis-Marion County Division of Homeland Security. Sivak has previously worked as deputy bioterrorism coordinator at Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies and also was the director of emergency services at American Red Cross in Michigan. Eager to start his career, Sivak found his niche in the emergency management field after landing a job at the American Red Cross in 2008 with only three SPS classes under his belt. He promptly switched to the online program to take the positionbased in Michiganand immediately noticed the practical application between the job and his coursework. Everything I learned in class went hand-in-hand with what I was doing on a daily basis at work, he said. I focused all of my projects and research on emergency management, so it was always applicable to my career. That, coupled with in-class practical applications of SWOT analyses, writing and learning about nonprofit financial management were and still are useful at the office every day. Sivak noted that learning about the management side of emergency planning and services gave him the confidence he needed to take on leadership positions within the field. In his new joband in the field of emergency management in generalSivak said flexibility is vital for successful planning. Emergency management is about relationships, knowing what resources you have, communication and the ability to be flexible, he said. Plans dont always work out, but its how you respond thats important. Sivak routinely works on planning focusing on preparedness, response, recovery and mitigationfor the Indianapolis region and for special events such as the womens NCAA Final Four Tournament in early April and Super Bowl 2012 to be held in Indianapolis. He also has worked extensively on writing the emergency response plan for the Chicago Marathon, along with several other incidencebased plans for disaster preparation.

Sivak

Years into his career and one year removed from SPS, Sivak is gratified to see how his education consistently ties into his work each day. His piece of advice for current students is to recognize and embrace the importance of networks and relationships, which is valuable not only in emergency management, but in any field of worksomething he has learned along the way. Networks are the key to success, he said. I have a whole DePaul network that I feel Im a part of and that is helpful both personally and professionally.

attention alUMni
A group of your fellow alums are gathering with the intention of establishing a viable alumni group. We are in the formative stages at this time and would value any contribution you would like to make. If you are interested in connecting with other alums, building your professional network, or giving back to the School of Public Service, get in touch today to hear about the latest developments. Please contact alumni chairs David Blumenthal at dblumen1@mail.depaul.edu or Jim OReilly at joreilly70@gmail.com if you would like to get involved. For more information about alumni news and events, visit las.depaul.edu/sps/About/OurAlumni.

Blumenthal

OReilly

ALuMNi

Milestones

Jenny Mohan (MPS 10) recently was named director of social ministry at St. Francis Xavier College Church in St. Louis, Mo. Mohan will oversee the social ministry programs of the church, which include direct outreach to those who are homeless, low-income, living in transition or ex-offenders and also will conduct advocacy and international outreach.

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study abroad curitiba, brazil: an innovative urban planning model

Brazil is a country of smiling faces, samba sounds and vibrant culture that is changing the perception of urban planning in cities around the globe. Students in MPS 573: Urban and Community Development learned from Curitibas innovative and interactive urban planning model during the schools first study abroad trip to Brazil in February. Curitiba is considered one of the best examples of urban planning worldwide and is well known for its recycling programs, designed not only to improve the environment but also to address social issues. Curitibas unique public transportation system aligned with innovative zoning that includes more than 100 miles of bike paths with 600 square feet of green area for each resident is attracting experts from around the worldin fact,

by: Wilmar Molina Degree Candidate: International Public Service 2011

82 cities are now replicating this model. In June of 1996, the chairman of the Habitat II Summit of Mayors and Urban Planners in Istanbul praised Curitiba as the most innovative city in the world. Throughout the tripled by Professor Joe Schwieterman and Lauren FischerSPS partnered with Pontifcia Universidade Catlica do Paran, a private, nonprofit Catholic university. This partnership allowed us access to the campus and its benefits such as a university ID, Internet access, local library, classrooms and more. We engaged in lectures and went on field visits to public, private and nonprofit organizations that have participated in urban developing. We also connected with locals who gave us an objective perspective while riding the bus rapid transit system. As an international public service student, this program was a great opportunity to explore the planning initiatives underway in Curitiba. The city is one of the most innovative metropolitan regions in South America and serves as an urban laboratory. The experts we met shared with us their evaluations of a wide range of policies intended to enhance the efficiency and livability of the large urbanized area, improve public services and support development of critical infrastructures. A fascinating component to the program was the samba rhythms, announcing the coming of carnival festivities. The enthusiasm was also felt as the preparations for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics were underway. Our Curitiba 2011 experience was certainly international by design.

Shown is Curitibas rapid bus transit system, which SPS students had an opportunity to learn about during the study abroad trip. Photo courtesy of Adam Hirsch.

A group of SPS students pose after learning about Curitibas transportation systems and urban development. Photo courtesy of Adam Hirsch.

Student experiences public policy process in brussels

When friends and family asked SPS student Will Covert how he spent his spring break, his answer was anything but ordinaryhe was immersed in a week-long learning experience in Brussels, the capital of Europe, to explore public policy and public service management in an international context. As a student in the leadership and policy studies program, Covert was thrilled to see the European policy process first-hand. For anyone interested in policy, it was great to see how it actually works within the European Union, he said. It was interesting to hear alternative ideas about environmental and urban policy from a new perspective. The trip, led by Professor Joseph Schwieterman, explored how agenciesspecifically the European Unionare working closely with grassroots organizations throughout the world. Students had the opportunity to observe the European Union public policy process and its broad effects on the United States and NGOs. The group met with representatives from nonprofit organizations such as the European Anti-Poverty Network, government departments such as the European Defense Agency and also spent a day in the European Parliament. We had the opportunity to talk with nonprofits about how they advocate for their cause, which was really interesting, he said. Throughout the entire trip, we engaged in discussions with professionals, local students and whoever else we met, which is one of the best ways to learn. Students stayed at the historic Irish College in Leuven, about 20 minutes outside of Brussels. The college houses the Leuven Institute for Ireland in Europe, which hosted the SPS group. Despite a packed itinerary, students made it a priority to learn about the regions culture and to visit historic sites such as World War I battlefields and trenches. From an American perspective, you hear about these World War I and II sites, but most people never get to see them, he said. The whole trip was an amazing experience.

The SPS Brussels study abroad group poses in Belgium during their week-long spring break trip.

Students tour World War I battlegrounds and pose in a historic trench in Belgium.

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chaddick study explores hard-hit carsharing industry

Since the first major carsharing organization emerged in the United States in 1998, the popularity of sharing vehicles through memberships in nonprofit and for-profit enterprises has dramatically grown. In Chicago, I-GO and Zipcar have grown to become major players on the local travel scene. A soon-to-be-released study by Professor Joe Schwieterman and recent SPS graduate Alice Bieszczat, however, shows that the sector is suffering from a hostile tax environment. Many municipal governments are unwilling to differentiate carsharing from traditional rent-a-car companies, making it relatively common for rates of taxation to exceed 30 percent. Some even impose taxes on carsharing services that are much higher than those on sin goods such as alcohol. Users of carsharing almost certainly reduce their use of carsharing when facing taxes as high as $3 or $4 per hour, noted Bieszczat, who assembled a national data set of carsharing taxes as part of a thesis project for her M.S. in public service management degree. The new Chaddick Institute study, Are Taxes on Carsharing Too High? A Review of the Social Benefits and Tax Burden of this Expanding Transportation Mode is co-authored by Bieszczat and Schwieterman. Everyone has a stake in this since carsharing lowers congestion, alleviates parking shortages, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, noted Schwieterman. The existing policies seem quite counterproductive even punitiveand contribute to financial woes facing carsharing organizations. Most organizations remain unprofitable. This study is the latest in a series of Chaddick reports exploring how transit oriented lifestyles are becoming more prevalent due to new services and technologies. Recent studies in the series have explored the growth of travel on curbside buses, such as Megabus, and how the desire of travelers to use portable technology has given a boost to rail and bus operators. Both studies received attention in the April 7 Bloomberg Business Week article, The Megabus Effect, that featured several quotes made by SPS student researcher Brian Izzo.
Professor Joe Schwieterman and recent SPS graduate Alice Bieszczat pose at a Zipcar site in the city. Schwieterman and Bieszczat conducted a forthcoming study about the carsharing industry that shows the sector is suffering from a hostile tax environment.

hay project

vincent on Leadership:

the Hay Project Updates

Vincent on Leadership: The Hay Project had a busy spring quarter hosting leadership programs for DePaul students, faculty and staff. One of the quarters highlights was the successful completion of the projects second offering of its free online Values-Centered Leadership Certificate course, which drew participants from Belarus, Portugal, Spain, Iraq, England, Kenya and the U.S. Over the course of 10 weeks, participants learned about Vincentian leadership and other valuesbased leadership models through a variety of readings, reflections and exercises. In February, the project continued the Inspiring Voices speaker series in partnership with the DePaul Student Leadership Institute. Alumnus Mark Wattley shared his leadership development journey and offered suggestions on how students can market their leadership skills. Wattley was an engaged student leader as a DePaul undergraduate and now is the divisional vice president of Human Resources Business Strategy and Solutions for Walgreens Corporation. April was a productive month. Staff completed the second offering of the Leading from Within workshop series in collaboration with The Well Spirituality Center in LaGrange Park, Ill. The series covered leadership topics such as cooperative learning in an organization, time and energy management, polarity management and multiple intelligences. Project Director Pat Bombard, Ph.D., also led four leadership and project management sessions for entrepreneurs and leaders from Turkey, Nicaragua and Belize in an emerging grassroots leadership exchange program sponsored by Heartland International. Later in the month, the project welcomed Mary McGuinness, HR manager and former director of the project as the guest speaker for the April Tuesday Conferences Leadership Luncheon. The Hay Project co-sponsored the monthly series with DePaul Workplace and Learning and Heartland International. Looking ahead to the summer quarter, the project will continue to engage members of the DePaul community and around the world on leadership practice and development. Bombard will develop the next level of the online Values-Centered Leadership Certificate Course and will travel to Kenya to facilitate leadership workshops and discuss course offerings for Kenyan students enrolled in Tangaza College and other religious leaders.

April Tuesday Conferences Leadership Luncheon guest speaker Mary McGuinness speaks to student Shawn Janzen during the event.

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Students, faculty explore future of nonprofit education field at BenchMark 3.5 Conference
continued from the front page

SPS Adjunct Professor Nonie Brennan led a special topics course centered on the conferenceMPS 604: Developments and Revelations in Nonprofit Educationwhich included six students: Ally Thurman, Quincee Herbert, Jamal Cornelious, Tiffany Ellis, Lauren Jackson and Kyong Choi. Students posted blogs about conference sessions, interviewed conference participants and posted videos of their interviews on the blog. Brennan said the conference was an invaluable experience for students as they continue to learn about the third sector. Attending this conference provided students with a much broader and more concrete understanding of nonprofit and voluntary education, she said. Students had the opportunity to meet with, learn from and socialize with academics from around the world who are all dedicated to the study of the nonprofit sector. The students also conducted technology presentations to show educators how they can use basic features of Facebook and Twitter in the classroom. I know from post-presentation interviews that the presentations helped to portray how Facebook and Twitter can be used in the classroom as a complement to other online tools like Blackboard or Desire2Learn, said student Lauren Jackson. It gives instructors a way to reach their students quickly and effectively and it offers another platform for discussion.

SPS students Kyong Choi, Jamal Cornelius and Lauren Jackson give a presentation to educators about using technology such as Facebook and Twitter in the classroom.

It was refreshing to see so many professors and instructors gathered together for the sake of improving their curriculum, Jackson added. The Benchmark 3.5 Conference was a great experience and I hope that more students will be able to attend Benchmark 4.0.

Research delves into Chicago-area knowledge transfers

continued from the front page

a United Kingdom-based team to study the implications for policy transfers between regional innovation systems based on the direction and types of collaboration between universities, private companies and local governments. Economists often emphasize that universities play an important role in regional economic development because they help support local industry clusters. By nature, universities provide a trained work force and opportunities for research development that leads to business innovation.

Steffenson is tracking the geographic proximity of knowledge transfers to and from the Chicago metropolitan region. Thus far, her research suggests that while Chicago-based universities and businesses are working together, their partnerships are not always regionally-based. Many local companies are working with foreign universities and vice versa. Steffenson presented preliminary findings on the global connectivity of local networks at the Midwest Political Science Associations annual conference in April.

events
sPs students support Zafn
Several SPS students showed their support for DePauls unique partnership with Zafn an online microfinance initiative that provides interest-free microfinance loans to Haitian entrepreneursduring a fundraising event April 1. At the Taste for Zafn benefit, guests enjoyed wine, chocolate and cheese from Chicago businesses and had the opportunity to participate in a raffle and silent auction. In its inaugural year, Zafn has raised $350,000 to fund business and social projects that generate sustainable economic development in Haiti.

sPs ranks in top 100

In its latest survey of graduate schools, U.S.News and World Report ranked the DePaul School of Public Service in the top 100 schools of public affairs. SPS ranked 100 in the survey of administrative leaders representing 269 master degree programs nationwide. The school is proud to be recognized as one of the best programs in the nation.

Several SPS students were spotted at the Taste for Zafn fundraising event on April 1.

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service
student advocates for people of ghana
Winter quarter proved to be a life-changing experience for SPS student Kendra Spearman as she spent three months advocating for the people of Ghana. Spearman served with the Commission Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in the West African country through Ghanas Abusua Foundation. The commission seeks to enhance the scale of democracy and social development by promoting, protecting and enforcing fundamental human rights for all people of Ghana. I worked toward ensuring a culture of respect for the rights of all people in the nation, promoting justice in a free and expeditious manner and ensuring efficiency, transparency and application of best practices, she said. While abroad, Spearman worked to mitigate corruption in government, health and other administrative sectors via the Whistleblowers Act. She also advocated for the advancement and protection of the Childrens Rights Act. Spearman worked through the public education system as she traveled to schools, held community meetings and went on live radio each week to inform listeners about topics such as child trafficking, domestic violence, rights of the mentally ill, prisoners rights, womens rights and employee rights.

Spearman poses in Ghana where she spent three months during winter quarter.

las.depaul.edu/sps

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