The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) will hold its annual global conference next month, welcoming practitioners, public service professionals, and educators to Flagstaff, Arizona for three days of engaging panels, workshops, and professional development opportunities.
Professors, students, and alumni from Pitt’s School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) regularly attend the annual event, presenting research, leading conversations, and connecting with peers over a shared commitment to the practice and ideals of public service. This year, one SPIA faculty member is making the trip for another reason: as a member of the newest NASPAA NEXT cohort!
We sat down with Assistant Professor Zoila Ponce de León to hear more about this exciting opportunity.
What is NASPAA Next?
"NASPAA NEXT is a prestigious yearlong leadership development program for early-career faculty in public service education. This year’s theme, “Building the Bench: Cultivating the Next Generation of Public Service Leaders,” reflects NASPAA’s commitment to developing inclusive, ethical, and globally engaged academic leaders. I look forward to engaging with the vibrant interdisciplinary community at this year’s NASPAA NEXT cohort."
What motivated you to apply for this program?
"I hold a strong passion for public service education. In my role as an educator, I provide core public policy courses to both undergraduate and PhD students, striving to equip them with the insight and tools required to understand and shape policy for the common good. It is incredibly rewarding to witness their engagement with the different policies they study and develop a commitment to tackling community needs. I am confident that, as I move forward in my scholarly career, I can translate this passion into my role as a leader among my peers. Moreover, as a scholar of comparative public policy, with a focus on health and migration and a geographic concentration on Latin America, I am committed to a public service education with a true global mission."
How do you think this program will support your future career goals?
"Plugging into this community and learning alongside those at schools in the U.S. and abroad will enhance my future leadership roles at Pitt and SPIA, becoming more involved with our graduate and undergraduate programs. At the same time, the new leadership roles I am preparing to undertake at Pitt will better equip me to contribute to NASPAA in the future."
What courses are you teaching this semester and how can SPIA students engage with you inside or outside of the classroom?
"I teach PIA 0101: How Public Policy Works: Foundations of Public Policy (Undergrad) and PIA 3121: Policy Theory (PhD) in the fall. I'm also always available to discuss the study of public policy with any students, particularly those interested in social policy, healthcare, or Latin America."