The University of Baltimore's Schaefer Center for Public Policy—established to promote excellence in government and public service—has issued a report on the progress of a multifaceted and publicly-funded initiative to expand interest and advance careers in public service.
During a Dec. 13 event on campus, Schaefer Center project leaders updated Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones on the status of the NextGen Leaders for Public Service Program, the Maryland Certified Public Manager Program, and the Schaefer Center Fellows Program, a suite of academic courses and internships designed to fill the leadership pipeline for public service roles across the state. Each initiative received funding this year from Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and the Maryland General Assembly. Thirty-six students, 50 public managers, and 56 organizations have benefited from the programs since this past July.
The Schaefer Center is a non-partisan organization that leverages the expertise of the University community in its work to inform decision makers through applied research and program evaluation; develop public servants through its professional and development program; promote public discourse through policy analysis and conferences; and grow future leaders through applied learning activities for students.
"State and local governments across the country and in Maryland are experiencing staffing shortfalls. It is critical that we prepare current and future public service professionals to address the increasingly complex issues facing communities from coast to coast," said University of Baltimore President Kurt L. Schmoke. "Practical solutions to society's most daunting challenges—involving everything from transportation to public safety to the environment—will be found in the development and implementation of well-conceived public policy."
"The Schaefer Center for Public Policy's NextGen Leaders for Public Service program is a critical resource to prepare the next generation of public service leaders at a time when we need it most," said Speaker Adrienne A. Jones. "Government at every level is experiencing record staffing shortages. NextGen Leaders for Public Service will fully equip students for an impactful career in public service and is a part of our effort to rebuild state and local government with Maryland's best and brightest."
"There is nothing more important than inspiring the next generation of public servants here in Maryland," said Senate President Bill Ferguson. "Our State thrives when committed individuals make a collective impact to improve the lives of their fellow residents. I'm proud of the investments we're making through Maryland Corps to strengthen programs like the Schaefer Center and the NextGen Leaders for Public Service Program."
The NextGen Leaders for Public Service program is a Schaefer Center initiative designed to inspire and prepare University of Baltimore students from all majors to explore careers in public service. A total of 24 students are currently enrolled in the program, which is a member of the Volcker Alliance NextGen Service Corps initiative. The University of Baltimore is one of only 14 universities in the nation, and the only university in Maryland, to be invited to join the Volcker Alliance Next Generation Service Corps Network.
Launched in the fall of 2022, the NextGen Leaders program provides a range of opportunities including academic programs, paid professional experiences and co-curricular experiences. The program is designed to allow students to participate in as many or as few experiences as they wish. Students who complete a predetermined set of experiences earn a NextGen Leadership credential certifying that they have completed the NextGen Program. In the program's first five months, the Schaefer Center has awarded 24 paid internships to UBalt undergraduate, graduate and law students.
Sara Mogulescu, president of the Volcker Alliance, said, "It is a true pleasure to welcome The University of Baltimore to the Next Generation Service Corps. The Schaefer Center for Public Policy and the College of Public Affairs have demonstrated a deep commitment to developing public service leaders and changing lives. We look forward to having UB students join our network and continue their public service journeys."
The Maryland Certified Public Manager Program is a nationally accredited leadership development program, offering Maryland's leaders the opportunity to gain the comprehensive, applied management skills they need to meet the complex demands and challenges of the 21st century. A 300-hour competency based, academically grounded and job-relevant initiative, the program features individual capstone projects designed to improve an agency’s service, reduce its costs or increase its revenue.
Open to supervisors and managers who live or work in Maryland and who work for a government, quasi-governmental or nonprofit organization, the Maryland Certified Public Manager Program is proven to improve performance and advance best practice standards for public and nonprofit sector managers.
To date, two sections of the Maryland Certified Public Manager Program have launched, with 50 public managers from across the state enrolled. A third section, funded by Baltimore City and Baltimore County, is slated to launch in January and will include 21 participants. Currently, 75 percent of Maryland's jurisdictions have a county or municipal manager enrolled in the program, which now has a waiting list for the next program class.
The Schaefer Center also offers a limited number of graduate fellowships for full-time University of Baltimore graduate and doctoral students. Graduate fellows work in the center 20 hours per week while pursuing their graduate degrees. Typical duties include collecting and analyzing primary and secondary data, assisting research staff with field interviews, and providing support services for the Center’s training programs and strategic planning activities.
"As Maryland's preeminent applied research and policy analysis center, we’re honored to play an essential role in promoting excellence in Maryland's public and nonprofit organizations,” said Schaefer Center for Public Policy Director Ann Cotten. "The Schaefer Center is thankful for the support of Gov. Hogan and the Maryland General Assembly, who have helped expand the reach of our programming and advanced our ability to produce exceptional public service and policy leaders."
Watch WJZ-TV's coverage of the Dec. 13 NextGen event.
The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.
