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 […]

2024 Distinguished Alumni Awardee: Shawn Morris

Full Name: Shawn Morris Title and Organization: Deputy Chief, Greenwich Fire Department and Principal, Fireground Consultants LLC SPP Degree and Graduation Year: MPA, 2012 After undergraduate studies at Central Connecticut State University, Shawn enrolled in the School (formerly Department) of Public Policy (SPP) program at UConn beginning in 2009.  A member of the Pi Alpha […]

2024 Faculty Excellence Awardee: Jason Jakubowski

Full Name: Jason Jakubowski Title and Organization: Adjunct Professor (SPP) and President and CEO, Connecticut Foodshare SPP Degree and Graduation Year: MPA, 2001 Jason Jakubowski is President & CEO of Connecticut Foodshare, the official Feeding America food bank serving the entire state of Connecticut. With a dedicated team of 120 employees and more than 5,000 […]