Policy, Planning, & Management

special Recognitions

Outstanding Student

Outstanding Capstone

Nicole Record

Nicole J. Record is the recipient this year of the MPPM Outstanding Student Award, earning a 4.0 average and is a recent inductee into Phi Kappa Phi. She was selected as a 2020-2021 Data Innovation Project Fellow, assisting the Multilingual Multicultural Center of the Portland Public School System in improving comprehensive services to the immigrant community. Nicole also provides pro bono work for various local non-profit organizations and written INTERPOL policy focusing on international anti human-trafficking efforts. She a earned an MBA from UMaine, a Juris Doctor from the University of Maine School of Law and is a licensed attorney in the State of Maine. In addition to her MPPM education, Nicole has studied abroad extensively, including the Vienna School of Law, the Irish Centre for Human Rights, the Sorbonne and Charles University, Prague

Heidi Mccarthy

Heidi McCarthy is the recipient of the Outstanding Capstone Award for 2021. While employed for fifteen years as a public school educator, Heidi McCarthy observed how instability and generational poverty affected the mental, physical, and social well-being of her students and joined the MPPM program to gain knowledge, skills, and tools to help address root causes of poverty. Currently, she is an Economic Development Specialist at the City of Lewiston and serves on the board of Healthy Androscoggin. Her capstone project is an outgrowth of her work through her Fellowship with the Data Innovation Project and Gateway Community Services Maine (GCSM). Her research interest centers on the civic engagement focus of the Covid-19 Youth Coalition (CYC), formed at the beginning of the pandemic to utilize the networks of immigrant youth to provide education related to Covid-19. Her capstone project explores outcomes of civic engagement as the CYC continues to transition from Covid-19 education to a wider set of community issues. As Heidi notes, hope my research helps immigrant youth not only to identify and address a variety of barriers affecting their communities but also recognize their voice, power, and place in decision-making spaces.

graduates

Master's degree in Policy, Planning, & Management

Sarah Macy

My most valuable experiences came early on in my tenure at USM, in gaining confidence and sure-footedness in the graduate program through some of my first classes. Specifically in an Organizational Leadership course with Professor McDonnell. It was a very small group that semester and was engaging and specific to each us as individuals in our career prospects which was incredibly rewarding.

Nicole Record

I have greatly appreciated the opportunity to engage in applied research at USM. Projects requiring advanced data analytics and high-level research enabled me to assist organizations in maximizing results and help create frameworks for data-driven decision-making processes. It is extremely fulfilling to know that my work will provide continued value long after the project is complete.

Joe Sanderson

I enjoyed getting to know the students in my cohort, particularly during our in-class pre-covid times. I met many dedicated social warriors who became friends. As a (slightly!) older student, I did not expect to make friends in the program, and am happy that I was incorrect here!

More about Sarah

Plans for after graduation:

I intend to continue my work in municipal government and am aspiring towards management or planning positions specifically in the future.

Favorite course & professor:

I fully expected my least favorite courses to be budgeting and finance and applied statistics and data analysis with Professor LaPlante, and they ended up being among my favorite courses, shockingly. Other favorites include any courses taken with Professor McDonnell and the Introduction to ArcGIS course with Professor Youngs

More about Joe

Plans for after graduation:

I am seeking a position with a local nonprofit in the education sector, specifically working to increase opportunities for underrepresented groups to technical careers.

Favorite course & professor:

I enjoyed my classes with Professor McDonald and Professor Zollitsch very much. Organizational Leadership, Grant Writing, and Introduction to ArcGIS were my favorite courses.

Steve Langlin

Reaching out to and learning about other alumni. Muskie graduates are very tight-knit and share a common bond. They're always willing to talk with you, whether it's about their experiences in the program or their career trajectory. I found these discussions invaluable in affirming my decision to attend graduate school at Muskie.

Megan E. Mansfield-Pryor

Enjoyed connecting with Professor Picardy on food policy, hope there may be opportunities for collaboration with Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in the future on food waste reduction/food rescue.

Jayne Foley

I was able to participate in internships and talk to a variety of interesting real world professionals.

More about Steve

Plans for after graduation:

Legislative Analyst with Maine State Legislature

Favorite course:

Economics and Public Policy

More about Megan

Plans for after graduation:

Continue working for Maine DEP as an environmental specialist, and enjoy more time with family

More about Jayne

Favorite course:

Food Planning/Policy and Government, Democracy and Public Policy

Meredith Cook

My graduate studies mutually reinforced my work as an anti-hunger advocate in my previous employment. I was able to learn new skills to deepen my policy analysis to find solutions to hunger in Maine.

Sara Conant

I enjoyed the variety of opportunities to get out of the classroom and explore practical uses for the knowledge and skills gained in class. Among those opportunities I had the chance to work on a crisis communication plan for a local municipality and see public-private partnership in action with a solar energy group project.

Katherine Johnston

I am grateful to have taken multiple courses with both Professor McDonnell and Professor Zollitsch. Having the opportunity to building relationships with them over time while also directly connecting the coursework to my own work has been rewarding personally and professionally. Completing the program part-time over 3-4 years has also meant that I have been able to meet so many great classmates. I look forward to keeping in touch with everyone as we step into bigger professional roles.

More about Meredith

Plans for after graduation:

I will continue to attend the University of Maine School of Law. In addition to finishing my MPPM this year, I also finished my first year of law school during the 2020-2021 academic year. This summer I have been selected to be the Bernstein District Court Fellow at the Lewiston District Court.

Favorite course & professor:

Applied Policy Analysis with Brenda Zollitsch

More about Sara

Plans for after graduation:

I will continue my work with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program here in Cumberland County.

More about Katherine

Plans for after graduation:

After graduation I plan on continuing in my full-time role doing research and advocacy for Educate Maine.

Favorite course & professor:

State and Regional Economic Development with Ryan Wallace (Spring 2018) was fantastic. There was no shortage of real world scenarios to relate to our learning, class conversations were always engaging, and we learned a lot of practical data-oriented skills. I would take that class again if I could.

Sigrid Olson

When I started, the date of my last work experience was in the previous millennium. Now I have a new degree and a couple years of professional experience as a GA and am ready to rejoin the workforce.

Andrew Watson

Working with the Portland Society of Architecture in the City Disconnected project. It was a cumulation of many years making maps for a grade, however, this time it was for a firm to really make a change in the people's lives. I was very happy working with a wonderful team, each of us in charge of a different part that came together as a whole. A real team instead of the individual, coming together to serve the greater good.

Craig Slavin

Great professors with a wealth of knowledge. and experience.

More about Sigrid

Favorite professor:

Joe McDonald is my favorite professor. He made you think. Without ever challenging my opinions, he changed some of them.

More about Andrew

Plans for after graduation:

Currently I am looking for a job and have applied to four municipalities for town planner and other positions. I am traveling to visit my father and sisters (and nieces) in Reno, NV in June after my second vaccination.

Favorite professor:

Professor Bampton and Professor Kim

More about Craig

Favorite course:

Applied Policy Analysis

Heidi McCarthy

While at USM, I’ve been fortunate to take part in two internships, each of which has led to important and life-changing opportunities. I’m now employed as an Economic Development Specialist for the City of Lewiston as a direct result of my internship with the City of Lewiston. Through my work with Gateway Community Services through the Data Innovation Project, I have gained experience and skills that will allow me to grow a business specializing in program evaluation and data collection systems.

Angela Holmes

One of the most valuable experiences at USM was the opportunity to connect with classmates, many of whom I'll have the honor of working with in some capacity working in local government in Maine.

More about Heidi

Plans for after graduation:

In the immediate future, I plan to build a program evaluation and data collection consultancy while continuing my economic development work. Eventually, I would like to become an academic.

Favorite course & professor:

Although I’m grateful for each class and professor who helped me gain valuable knowledge and skills, three professors in particular have impacted my professional and academic abilities and aspirations. When my teaching schedule didn’t line up with the timeline of the internship program, Dr. Carolyn Ball worked with me and the graduate studies office to ensure I would still be able to take part. This internship led directly to my current position in Economic Development, helping me realize my goal of transitioning out of teaching. Dr. Dahlia Lynn Handman has been an excellent advisor and professor. Her instructive and constructive feedback has helped me become a more thoughtful and discerning researcher and writer. I’m also appreciative of her willingness to discuss and provide guidance on my academic career aspirations. Finally, I appreciated Dr. Brenda Zollitsch’s practical teaching style and rigorous classes. I have used grant-writing techniques learned in her class to help bring approximately $5 million in grant funds to the City of Lewiston, just one of many ways I have applied knowledge from her classes in my professional life. She continues to be a mentor to whom I can reach out for assistance and advice. I’m truly thankful for and consider it a great privilege to have participated in the MPPM program. It has positively impacted my life immeasurably.

More about Angela

Plans for after graduation:

I was recently appointed as the Assistant City Administrator & City Clerk for Westbrook, Maine, and plan to continue serving in local government.

Favorite professor:

Prof. Joseph McDonnell & Dr. Brenda Zollitsch - it's always a pleasure to work with people who absolutely love what they do.

additional MPPM graduates

Eva Arbor

Hannah Bonine

Samantha Hanson

Tamara Hunt

Erin Ludwig

Mareisa Weil

Alana Shapiro

Joanna Benoit

Ahmed Sheikh

Norman Maze Jr.

Adam Davis

Neal Goldberg

Rob McCann

Katherine Kiblansky

certificate of graduate study - applied research & evaluation methods

j p olish

As a New Mainer, I struggled to resume my professional career here. I was fortunate to connect with the Muskie School at USM through Dr. Firooza Pavri. The Muskie School provided me with all the necessary resources to reinvent myself to fit the local high competitive job market.

certificate of graduate study - community planning & sustainable development

Izaak Onos

Students: Fill out this form to share a photo and something about your Muskie School experience.

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