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SPP Student Spotlight: Bridget Foley-Johnson

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After graduating from Springfield College in 2021 with a degree in psychology and a minor in biology, Bridget Foley-Johnson went to work at Hartford HealthCare, supporting adults with substance use disorders and other mental health challenges. 

“I set out to help individuals,” she said. “But during my three years at Hartford HealthCare, I also got a look at the policy side of medicine and how decisions made behind the scenes affect clinicians, patients, and entire systems.” 

That realization, along with a desire to “make a difference at a population level,” led her to explore advanced degrees in public policy and social work. She’s now pursuing both a Master of Social Work and a Master of Public Administration through UConn’s School of Social Work and School of Public Policy. 

“I could see how intertwined the two fields are,” she said. “It made sense to study them together, especially with the internship opportunities and the range of career paths it opens up.” 

From STEM to Service: Paula Norato (MPA ‘22) on the Path to Public Administration

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Paula Norato (MPA ’22) enrolled in the School of Public Policy’s graduate program during the start of Covid. Through her IPP placement with Partners for Educational Leadership, she saw how statewide support systems operate behind the scenes to support schools and began to understand the broader impact of public service.  “The MPA helped me not only with long-term, strategic thinking and relationship-building, but also with the confidence to show up for myself in all areas,” Paula says…

Blending History, Education, and Community Service into a Meaningful Career Path

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MPA student Noah Hurt has always been drawn to spaces that educate and support the community. Through his IPP, Hurt serves as Intern for Advancement at COMPASS Youth Collaborative which works with vulnerable youth to provide them with tools to succeed in education, employment, and life.

Lessons in Humanity: MPA Grad Gains Insights from Norway’s Correctional Model

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 “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.”