The UConn School of Public Policy (SPP) is pleased to announce the recipients of our academic excellence awards. These prestigious awards are given annually to a student or students who are graduating from the Master of Public Administration (MPA), Master of Public Administration – Executive Track (MPA Fellows), Master of Public Policy (MPP), and Master of Arts in Survey Research (MASR) programs in either December, May, or August of the academic year. Winners are selected based on demonstrated academic excellence evidenced by a high cumulative GPA in public policy coursework. Achievement in the engagement with scholarly activities of the School of Public Policy or the University and performance of public service or survey research may also be considered.
Master of Public Administration: Logan Singerman and Yaw Owusu Darko
Logan Singerman has a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministries from Messiah University. He completed the MPA program part-time and presently works as the Director of Community Partnerships and Communications at the Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance (SINA). In this role, Logan manages communication, cross sector collaborative Initiatives, volunteer events, and resident-led projects. Upon graduation he plans to continue working in the nonprofit or government sector in Hartford, CT.
Yaw Owusu Darko received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Cognitive Science from UConn. Yaw completed a Sponsored Internship (SI) with the Connecticut Land Conservation Council in his first year of the MPA program. His Internship and Professional Practice (IPP) placement in the second year of the MPA program is with Capital Workforce Partners. After graduation, Yaw hopes to leverage his education and experience within a nonprofit or government agency as a project manager.
Master of Public Administration Fellows: Kathleen Holgerson
Kathleen Holgerson has a Bachelor of Arts in English from UConn and is the Director of the UConn Women’s Center. Her work is grounded in anti-racist feminist practice and focuses on coalition building, creating opportunities for critical reflection and creative education work, and addressing barriers to access related to various forms of oppression at the individual and institutional levels. Kathleen is the co-author of “Where do we enter? How do we stay? The role of consciousness raising in developing Women’s Center professionals.” in University and College Women’s and Gender Equity Centers: The Changing Landscape. She also serves as a consultant and reviewer in the higher education context.
Master of Public Policy: Ryan Scala
Ryan Scala earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In addition to the MPP, Ryan also completed the School’s Graduate Certificate in Survey Research. During the second year of the MPP program, Ryan completed his Internship and Professional Practice (IPP) placement with the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management. In his spare time, Ryan is creating a prediction model to predict this year’s elections for the U.S. House of Representatives as his main area of interest is election-related data. After graduation, Ryan intends to work with this kind of data for a polling firm, political campaign, or media organization.
Master of Arts in Survey Research: Rebecca Conto
Rebecca Conto completed the MASR program in December 2021. She has a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Psychology from Albright College and a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from Castleton State College. Rebecca has worked in the research field for nearly 20 years in various capacities and currently leads the survey operations team for a health economics and outcomes research company.