A Letter From Department Head Mohamad Alkadry

Dear Students, Alumni, and Friends,

Much has happened in our world since our January newsletter. Our economy is struggling and the organizations that typically employ our students and interns are witnessing unprecedented fiscal and/or service demand challenges. Our students are learning online for the rest of the Spring semester as well as all Summer Session courses. Our community was not able to celebrate our alumni, students, staff and faculty at the DPP Annual Alumni Awards and PPA Induction Ceremony. And, we were not able to hold our ceremony to honor our graduating students. However, there is much to celebrate even during these times.

We are living through a pandemic lock-down that tests the core of public service and articulates like no other time the relevance of the public sector in responding to crises like this one. Ironically, proponents of a smaller public sector suddenly see the relevance of government in aiding the economy and society out of a messy crisis. DPP alumni are at the forefront of the response to the COVID-19 crisis in Connecticut. They are working hard to ensure that public services are not disrupted because of a drastic drop in state and local government revenues. They are working hard to ensure that food banks’ stock and distribution networks are able to meet the drastic increase in demand for services. They are working on procuring masks and ventilators that will save lives. They are leading mental health service organizations that are providing even more services in a challenging social distancing environment.

We have always been proud of the contributions of our alumni to the welfare of people, but we have never been prouder than today. On behalf of our faculty and staff, I want to express our gratitude to our alumni who are at the forefront of the public and nonprofit sectors’ response to this crisis.

Congratulations to our MPA, MPP and MASR Class of ’20. Congratulations to the alumni, students, staff and faculty recipients of awards. Congratulations to the students who were inducted in our honor society. Many thanks to students, staff, faculty and alumni for all they have done to survive and to help others during this crisis.

Sincerely yours,

Mohamad G. Alkadry, Ph.D.
Professor & Head