Full Name: Nathaniel W. Spencer Title and Organization: Legislative Aide, Connecticut State Senate Democrats SPP Degree and Graduation Year: MPA, ‘26 Nathaniel Spencer is a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in Public Administration from UConn’s School of Public Policy (SPP). He received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science in 2020 from Emmanuel College in […]
Awards and Celebrations
2024 Albert G. Ilg Fellowship Awardee: Molly Lukiwsky
Full Name: Molly J. Lukiwsky Title and Organization: Intern, Connecticut State Contracting Standards Board SPP Degree and Graduation Year: MPA, ‘25 Molly is currently pursuing a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) while serving as an intern with the Connecticut State Contracting Standards Board (SCSB). Her academic foundation includes a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from […]
2024 Keynote Speaker: Governor Ned Lamont
Ned Lamont was sworn into office as the 89th governor of Connecticut on January 9, 2019. He began his second term on January 4, 2023. Lamont got involved in public service shortly after college, founding a weekly newspaper in a town hit by the loss of its largest employer. Covering town meetings and the Board […]
2024 MPA Fellows Academic Excellence Awardee: Deborah Battit
Full Name: Deborah Battit Title and Organization: Program Officer, Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut SPP Degree and Graduation Year: MPA Fellows, ’24 Deborah Battit will complete a Master of Public Administration (MPA Fellows) degree in May 2024. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English from McGill University, she began her career in service to the public […]
2024 David B. Walker Awardee: Chidi D. Nwuneli
Full Name: Chidi D. Nwuneli Title and Organization: Grants & Contracts Specialist in the Criminal Justice Policy & Planning Division (CJPPD) at the Office of Policy & Management (OPM) SPP Degree and Graduation Year: MPA, 2025 Chidi Nwuneli is a part-time second-year student in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. Before joining the School of […]
2024 Morton J. Tenzer Fellowship Awardee: Maria Kelley
Full Name: Maria Kelley Title and Organization: Policy Fellow for the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity, and Opportunity (CWCSEO) and the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) SPP Degree and Graduation Year: MPA, 2025 Maria is a UConn graduate student earning a Masters of Public Administration (MPA). Through the UConn BOLD Women’s Leadership Network, […]
2024 Student Speaker: Sudiksha Mallick
Full Name: Sudiksha Mallick Title and Organization: Racial Justice Policy Analyst Intern, State of Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) SPP Degree and Graduation Year: MPP, 2024 Sudiksha is a graduating Master of Public Policy (MPP) student, who recently graduated from University of Connecticut in May 2023 with her Bachelor of Arts in Political […]
2024 Alumni Impact Awardee: Dana Begin
Full Name: Dana Begin Title and Organization: Director of the Evidence-Based Practices and Grants Division, within the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Office of the Commissioner DPP Degree and Graduation Year: MPA Fellows, 2020 Dana Begin is the Director of the Evidence-Based Practices and Grants Division at the Office of the Commissioner (OOC) […]
2024 Alumni Impact Awardee: Fionnuala Darby-Hudgens
Full Name: Fionnuala Darby-Hudgens Title and Organization: Director of Data Strategic Planning, CTData Collaborative SPP Degree and Graduation Year: MPA, 2018 Fionnuala Darby-Hudgens joined CTData Collaborative in early 2023, bringing 13 years of public service and nonprofit experience to CTData’s new social enterprise, Data Strategic Planning©. In this newer role, Finn works to help nonprofits […]
2024 Alumni Impact Awardee: J. Michael Keyes
Full Name: J. Michael Keyes Title and Organization: Trademark Trial Lawyer, Dorsey & Whitney SPP Degree and Graduation Year: SRDA, 2022 J. Michael Keyes is a trademark trial lawyer and consumer survey expert at the international law firm of Dorsey & Whitney in Seattle. During his nearly 25 year legal career, he has represented a […]