In PADP 7110 Research Methods, my group designed a research proposal examining the factors that influence FEMA disaster declarations and grant allocations. The project required us to move through the full research design process — developing research questions, conducting a literature review, building a conceptual model, and outlining data collection and measurement strategies.

My contributions were significant in both the research and the writing. I helped identify and synthesize scholarly sources on social vulnerability, political influences, and equity in disaster aid distribution. For example, I worked with Cutter’s (2003) framework on social vulnerability and studies such as Ross, Farrell, & Yang (2015) to connect broader theories of equity and resource allocation to disaster management. I also contributed to drafting and refining sections of the final paper, ensuring that our arguments were cohesive, well‑structured, and grounded in evidence.

I was especially involved in shaping the conceptual model and hypotheses. Our group proposed that higher social vulnerability and socioeconomic vulnerability would increase FEMA grant allocations, while political affiliation aligned with the President would also influence outcomes. I helped articulate these hypotheses and connect them to the literature, showing how both need‑based and political factors could affect disaster declarations.

Finally, I worked on explaining the strengths and weaknesses of our design. We chose a non‑experimental, cross‑sectional approach using FEMA datasets and social vulnerability indices. I helped highlight that while this design offered broad generalizability (high external validity), it had limitations in establishing temporal sequence and controlling for alternative explanations (lower internal validity).

Articulating a public service perspective means making values like accountability, equity, trust, and responsiveness visible in practice. In PADP 8420 Leadership in Public Service, I studied transformational and values‑based leadership. Yukl and Gardner (2020) emphasized that leaders inspire by articulating vision and building trust, while Newell, Reeher, and Ronayne (2012) argued that trust is the foundation of effective governance. Rainey, Fernandez, and Malatesta (2021) showed that responsiveness sustains legitimacy, and Doig & Hargrove (1988) reminded me that innovation requires leaders to articulate values clearly.

My artifact for this competency is the PADP 8420 Final Paper, where I analyzed David Marquet’s intent‑based leadership model in Leadership is Language. Marquet argued that leaders must move away from command‑and‑control styles and instead empower others by changing the words they use. His six “plays” became a framework for me to think about how values are communicated in practice. I connected this to Yukl’s ideas about transformational leadership and Newell et al.’s emphasis on trust, showing that empowering language builds legitimacy. This artifact demonstrated my ability to articulate a public service perspective and apply it to leadership and communication.

Communication in public administration is not neutral; it is the medium through which legitimacy, equity, and responsiveness are strengthened or undermined. In PADP 8650, I studied how federal hiring initiatives communicate opportunities to students and recent graduates. Stigler (1971) showed how programs can be captured by dominant interests, Spiller (1990) explained how regulators navigate multiple principals, and Young (1985) emphasized that fairness requires tailoring communication to diverse needs and contexts.

My artifact for this competency is the PADP 8650 Final Paper, which examined the Excepted Service, Career‑Conditional Employment, and Pathways Programs. Public comments revealed both enthusiasm and frustration: universities praised the program for bridging education and employment, while participants worried about unclear conversion pathways and limited job security. I argued that outreach materials must go beyond compliance, reflecting the lived experiences of first‑generation students, rural applicants, and underrepresented groups. By integrating Young’s justice framework, I showed that culturally responsive communication is essential for equity in federal hiring. This artifact demonstrated my ability to connect theory to practice and to ensure that communication builds trust, inclusivity, and legitimacy in public service.