Building Skills: SPA Program Offers Tools to Solve Real-World Problems
Scrolling through social media in 2017, Dean Vicky Wilkins came across an idea that would alter how SPA would prepare students for life after AU.听听
A Twitter conversation听sparked an idea for a program that would eventually teach听hundreds of 国产小呦女graduate students and alumni practical skills. The concept became the SPA Analytics and Management Institute (SAMI), which has launched scores of innovative courses compressed into a weekend of class time. This April, SAMI will celebrate its fifth anniversary with an open house for students and alumni and a public reception.
A $1 million gift from Betsy, SPA/BA 鈥65, and Peter Mangone鈥攑art of the university鈥檚 Change Can鈥檛 Wait campaign鈥攈elped to turn Wilkins鈥檚 concept into reality.
鈥淔or many years, here at 国产小呦女and across higher education, we have been having conversations about how we can teach our students the 鈥榮oft skills鈥 that often don鈥檛 make it into the academic curriculum and how to encourage and support their passion for life-long learning,鈥 Wilkins said.
More than 1600 students and 国产小呦女alumni have benefited from 38 different in-person and online SAMI courses鈥攊ncluding听cyber policy, critical race theory, programming,听public sector consulting, and human resources鈥攃reated by 国产小呦女faculty over the past 15 terms. And the 鈥渟oft skills鈥 SAMI students can learn include oral and written communication, negotiation strategies, emotional intelligence, creating effective presentations, media relations, and many others.
Rick Mikulis, SPA/MA 鈥22, found learning and applying these skills听the most valuable components of a SAMI certificate.
鈥淚 thought it was a great way to have more practical and direct skills and apply the skills that we were learning in the [Master of Public Administration and Policy]听program,"听said听Mikulis, who works for Massachusetts as an assistant budget director.听
As part of the SAMI certificate program in Analytics and Management, Mikulis took classes on critical race theory, media skills, and data visualization.
鈥淚鈥檓 also a hiring manager,鈥 he said, 鈥渁nd I鈥檓 able to use the lessons I鈥檝e learned in the critical race theory class regularly. Media skills training also has been a big asset鈥擨 meet with advocates a lot and I understand how to build messages and deliver them in the most effective way. And I constantly use everything I learned in the data visualization course. That鈥檚 probably one of the most helpful courses I鈥檝e taken in undergrad and grad school.鈥
In 2020, SPA expanded programming to offer undergraduate students 鈥渢ightly focused skills development鈥 under the Changemakers Series, SAMI鈥檚 highly successful 鈥渟ister鈥 program.
鈥淲e felt that students on the undergraduate level are very interested in how to get directly involved in the policy area that they are most passionate about,鈥 said听Professor Saul Newman, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education at SPA. 鈥淥ur students wanted to learn how to develop the skills they need to have impact on policy areas now. The Changemakers was the answer.鈥澨
More than 300 enrolled in the Changemakers classroom lectures this year, either as one-credit courses or without charge for students who may want to attend the sessions but not complete the coursework for credit.听听听听
Sprouted from SAMI at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, SPA designed the lectures as 鈥渉ow-to鈥 courses, which train students to be changemakers.听听
Students can hear from prominent advocates and activists and explore topics that include 鈥渉ow to get involved,鈥 鈥渉ow social movements train activists,鈥 and 鈥渉ow interest groups and lobbyists organize on issues.鈥
As the fifth anniversary of SAMI approaches, Wilkins is听excited to see both SAMI and Changemakers expand quickly and to see graduate and undergraduate students applying their skills while bringing positive change to communities across the country and beyond.听听听听
鈥淚t鈥檚 the pinnacle of success鈥攖he kind of tangible, meaningful change you are creating after attending these courses,鈥 says Wilkins. 鈥淚 hope both SAMI and the Changemakers series continue to grow and continue to spread our message that learning lasts a lifetime.鈥