UCO MPA

10/22/2026

10/22/2026

Grateful for our partnership with the City Management Association of Oklahoma (CMAO), which keeps investing in the next generation of public service leaders. 🏛️

CMAO is offering 10 complimentary student registrations for its 2027 Winter Conference, January 27-29 at the Reed Conference Center in Midwest City, OK. UCO students can connect with city managers and municipal leaders from across the state.

CMAO also offers scholarships for Public Administration and Public Affairs students, up to $4,000 for graduate students and $1,000 for undergraduate students. Applications are due December 15, 2026.

Want to attend or apply? Reach out to MPA Interim Director Dr. Alyssa Provencio-Ciszewicz ([email protected]). Registrations are first come, first served.

10/09/2026

Busy week for the UCO MPA program! 🎓

Last Thursday, our MPA Advisory Board joined us on campus and online to talk mission, vision, values, student and alumni engagement, and how we can better meet workforce needs.

Over the weekend, alumni Jordan Evans and Ryan Baker and guest T.O. Bowman spoke to our Urban Planning and Politics class about transportation, sustainability, and climate adaptation.

Yesterday, our interim director, Dr. Alyssa Provencio-Ciszewicz, joined a panel for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Oklahoma City chapter on academic perspectives of nonprofit fundraising. Thank you to Raegan Mach, our Advisory Board Chair, for the invitation.

Thank you to everyone who shared their time and expertise! 🙌

09/23/2026

"I chose the MPA program at UCO because public service has been a big part of my career, and I wanted to better understand the bigger picture of how government works. I’m also a UCO alum and loved my undergraduate experience, so coming back for graduate school felt like the right choice.

Working for several state agencies and serving in leadership roles has shown me what the government does well, but I’ve also had plenty of moments where I’ve thought, “There has to be a better way to do this.” I enjoy solving problems, improving processes, and finding better ways to serve the public. I plan to use my MPA to build on the experience I already have, strengthen my leadership skills, and put myself in a position to have an even greater impact in public service."~Beth Anderson

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09/23/2026

I chose the MPA program because I wanted to build on the work I’ve already been doing in education and civic engagement while learning more about how communities and public organizations work. Building and sustaining community is important to me, both in my personal life and for the people around me. I’ve seen some of the challenges and shortcomings in our communities, including housing and food insecurity, and I believe local governments and public organizations can do more to create policies that make communities better for everyone. I’m not exactly sure where I’ll end up after graduation, but I’m excited to explore nonprofit work, local government, civic engagement, and other ways I can use what I’ve learned to serve my community beyond the classroom.

09/07/2026

This Labor Day weekend, we were lucky to host some amazing alumni, Lisa Chronister and Natalie Evans, and friend of the program, Councilman James Cooper, to our Urban Planning and Politics class, led by visiting assistant professor Dr. Shanna Padgham. They each discussed topics related to their expertise, which included urban sprawl, affordable housing, beautification, sustainability, food access, tree canopy, and local infrastructure.

04/21/2026

"I have lived most of my "adult" life a little backwards - starting with children, then marriage, then a home, and everything in between. For twenty years, I dreamed of earning my degree, and that dream finally came true this past fall. Now, as a graduate student at the University of Central Oklahoma, I'm living beyond what I ever imagined possible. My education has not only enriched my life, but it has also allowed me to show my children that higher education is within reach. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue this journey and proud to be a student at UCO. My goal is to work as a public servant, with a focus on municipal government, to better serve my community and others." ~ Jessica Rowe