UConn junior and 4+1 Fast Track student Ryan Engels promotes civic engagement among Connecticut youth through CYPAC, the non-partisan advocacy group he founded from his freshman year dorm room. He doesn’t just suggest students get involved in local government – he models it. Ryan is the youngest chair of a town committee in his hometown of Westbrook. He’s also interning this semester with the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy.
Author: Gordon
Lessons in Humanity: MPA Grad Gains Insights from Norway’s Correctional Model
“We all have this perception of what an incarcerated person looks like,” said Chidi Nwuneli, a 2025 MPA graduate of UConn’s School of Public Policy and the current Grants and Contracts Specialist at the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division of Connecticut’s Office of Policy and Management (OPM). “In Norway, the focus is on humanizing the person, not the punishment.”
Post-Graduate Spotlight: A Two-Year Research Journey with the Boston Federal Reserve
Nick Hall graduated from UConn in May 2023 with a degree in Economics and Political Science and earned his Master of Public Policy a year later. Thanks to the SPP’s outreach and networking opportunities, soon after his May 2024 graduation, he began a two-year research associate position with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston…
From Classroom to Commission: Finding the SPP 4+1 “Fast-Track” to Success
A chance encounter with a fellow undergrad introduced Tommy Dowd to the 4+1 program. A course that sounded interested introduced him to the IMRP and a research opportunity that would lead to his current role as the program assistant for the Connecticut Sentencing Commission. Read on to see his MPP “Fast-Track” to his first professional role…
Students Contemplate Voting Access on National Voter Registration Day
Students in IMRP Director Andrew Clark’s Intro to Public Policy course recently stepped beyond the classroom and into Connecticut’s Old State House to explore topics of democracy and voting access. The visits, held just blocks from UConn Hartford, included a tour of the historic site and a National Voter Registration Day roundtable co-hosted with the Connecticut Democracy Center. Students engaged panelists on issues ranging from compulsory voting in other democracies to recent changes in Connecticut expanding early voting and “no excuse” absentee ballots…
SPP Students Gain Policy Experience in Washington, D.C.
Two students from UConn’s Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Public Administration (MPA) programs traded classroom work for the nation’s capital this summer, immersing themselves in federal policy work. Read more about their experiences in higher education access and election integrity.
Back-to-School Fall Newsletter Release
The School of Public Policy’s fall newsletter’s “Back to School” edition highlights alumni awards, classroom updates, and the myriad ways school faculty, staff, and students contribute to meaningful service in Connecticut and beyond.
Connecticut Foodshare Volunteer Event Highlights Long Partnership
Beyond blueberries and packaging peppers, Connecticut Foodshare and the School of Public Policy share a long history of nourishing minds and bodies for career and community growth. Learn how Encore Connecticut graduates have found second act success at the nonprofit organization while current leaders there enhance their education through the MPA Fellows executive track.
A Year in Review… and a Look Ahead
20 Questions with School of Public Policy Director Dr. Angie Eikenberry in her first year in the role.