Michael Lucas’s interest in public service was piqued in high school when he learned how different the outcomes of government programs can be based upon the people who run them. Lucas believes the government can be effective and successful when competent and caring people are leaders of government programs. He decided that he wanted to dedicate his career to becoming a caring government leader. UConn’s reputation for academic excellence made it the obvious choice when Lucas was looking for a degree to further his career. While studying for his Master of Public Administration (MPA), Lucas interned at the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities where he learned how to use diplomacy to keep organizations running smoothly. At Lucas’s current role as Business and Career Development Specialist at the Hartford Public Library he uses his DPP skills like networking, Microsoft Excel, and problem solving to find solutions to various day-to-day problems.