In This Issue:

• More than One Thousand Registered for ASPA Annual Conference
• Webinars, BookTalks and Student Series on the Horizon
• Interested in Joining a New ASPA Section?
• Public Service Recognition Week around the Corner
• Rutgers-Newark Launches Webinar Series
• FDA Fellowship Applications Due March 1
• MPAC Issues Call for Presentations
• Apply Now for the 2016 Innovations in American Government Awards
• PAR Update
• New on PA TIMES Online
• New on the ASPA Blog
• Career Resources

More than One Thousand Registered for ASPA Annual Conference

With five weeks left before the 2016 Annual Conference, taking place March 18-22 in Seattle, more than 1,000 practitioners, academics and researchers have registered to be at the event. Is your name on the registration list? With attendance estimates above 1,200 people, this will be the biggest public administration event of the year!

Adding to the buzz, ASPA is proud to announce Admiral Thad Allen will be delivering the Nesta Gallas Lecture on Sunday morning, March 20. A former U.S. Coast Guard admiral who served as the 23rd Commandant of the Coast Guard, Adm. Allen will bring a lengthy career of experience and insights to our audience as he delivers his remarks. Make sure you’re in the audience to benefit from his expertise.

Adm. Allen's address is just one of the highlights of this stellar event, including keynotes from:

• Fran Berry, Florida State University
• John DiIulio, Jr., University of Pennsylvania
• Emilio T. Gonzalez, Director and CEO, Miami-Dade Aviation Department and
• Ron Sims, Former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Former King County Executive

The variety of perspectives these speakers will provide from the plenary stage will address the critical juncture between the academic research being produced and the administrators who put theory to practice. Attend these sessions and be prepared to gain valuable information from these presentations that you can put to use in your work.

Other highlights from throughout the five-day event include:

• A Welcome Reception at the Museum of History and Industry, enabling you to kick off your conference experience in Seattle with time well-spent with colleagues
• Six stellar Super Panels, assembled by ASPA president Maria Aristigueta, that will provide you with thought-provoking insights into the discipline’s most important challenges and opportunities
• An exhibit hall with more than two dozen publishers, journals, Sections and other exhibitors at hand to offer you more information about the ways in which you can make the most of their services
• A Career Fair, providing job-seekers with access to more than 30 public-sector agencies looking to hire top-notch staff
• Countless workshops and symposia providing hands-on learning and showcasing research from across public administration
• Numerous Chapter and Section meetings, breakfasts, dinners and events offering networking opportunities, awards, learning experiences and more

There’s still plenty of time to make plans to be in Seattle, but five weeks will go by quickly, so make sure you review the information on our website and in our registration brochure and make your travel plans today to be in Seattle next month. We hope to see you there!

Contact registrar Pat Yearwood for assistance with your registration.

Webinars, BookTalks and Student Series on the Horizon

ASPA's professional development webinars continue in the next few weeks. Averaging 75 attendees per webinar, these e-learning opportunities provide you with valuable insights and information at your fingertips. Here's a quick look at upcoming webinars. Make sure you register today for the topics of most interest, and visit our website to take a look at all upcoming webinars and BookTalks.


Student Series: Navigating the Federal Job Search Process
Feb. 11, 1 p.m.
Presenter: Janice Lachance, Former Director, U.S. Office of Personnel Management

Attention graduates! If you're planning to head out into the job force, make sure you participate in this webinar. There are millions of federal jobs in Washington, D.C., and across the country, many of which are open to young graduates. If you're ready to use your education to make an impact, you first have to get through the interview process.




Student Series: Writing the Perfect Cover Letter
Feb. 24, 1 p.m.
Presenter: Bill Shields, Executive Director, ASPA

Following his successful resume-building webinar from a few weeks ago, Bill Shields is back to talk about crafting a winning cover letter. Mastering the art of the perfect cover letter is a necessary skill that will carry you throughout your career, no matter what path it takes. Learn the essentials in this hour-long webinar. We'll cover: what to include, what not to include, length, tone and so much more.




Professional Development: The Sherlock Holmes Approach to Government (in conjunction with CAP)
Feb. 25, 1 p.m.
Presenter: Gary Van Landingham, Director, Pew Charitable Trusts' Results First Initiative

As state and local governments have been operating with limited resources, the job of most policymakers boils down to making tough choices. Using rigorous evidence to help make these decisions can help reach better results by funding programs that are proven. How does so-called "evidence-based policymaking" work? The panel for this CSG webinar will delve into these questions and more.




BookTalk: The Craft of Public Administration
March 3, 1 p.m.
Presenters: Dr. John Rouse, Professor, Ball State University
Dr. C. Kenneth Meyer, Drake University

The Craft of Public Administration is not just a textbook; it is a concise, current, down-to-earth text that introduces readers to the dynamics of the public sector. The 11th edition is due to be released in just a few short weeks and authors John Rouse and C. Kenneth Meyer will provide BookTalk participants with one of the first looks at this newest version.

Interested in Joining a New ASPA Section?

NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement is working together with ASPA to start a new Section geared toward procurement specialists. An organizing meeting will take place at ASPA's Annual Conference on Friday, March 18, from 10 a.m.- Noon. Please join us at the Seattle Westin to participate in an open discussion around formation and details to organize and launch the new Section. Contact ASPA Chief of Program Operations Lisa Sidletsky with any questions. We hope you'll make plans to join this discussion!

If you're not able to be in Seattle but are interested in the new Section, let us know! Contact Lisa for more information and to make sure you're on the list to receive future information about this group.

Public Service Recognition Week around the Corner

ASPA Chapters, get ready for Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) 2016! From a night out at a major league baseball game to an awards breakfast and celebratory dinners, ASPA Chapters from across the country marked last year's Week in special ways. What are you planning this year?

Launched in 1987, PSRW takes place the first week of May—this year that's May 1-7—and honors those individuals who have dedicated their time, talents and lives to public service, whether as a member of the armed forces, a part of local emergency departments or as civil servants. This is our opportunity to proclaim to the world the good work public servants do—and are proud of! Chapters, if you haven't already put the wheels in motion, it's time to start planning your events for this year!

ASPA will be sharing more information about PSRW in future editions of The Bridge and through other messages so look for additional details soon. In the meantime, let us know what you need! Contact ASPA Chief of Communications Karen Garrett with details about the activities you're planning, questions and anything else you need to help you make this year's PSRW a success!

Rutgers-Newark Launches Webinar Series

On behalf of the Rutgers Institute on Anti-Corruption Studies (RIACS), the School of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers University-Newark is excited to launch a webinar series of Global Dialogues on Anti-Corruption and cordially invites you to participate. The webinars will be provided each month, starting next week on Feb. 18, 2016, to scholars, practitioners and students worldwide for free. Each webinar will last approximately an hour, with 25-30 minutes for presentation and 25-30 minutes for questions and answers. Globally distinguished scholars and experts, including Adam Graycar (Professor, Flinders University, Australia), Marianna Fotaki (Professor, Warwick Business School, UK), Frank Vogl (Co-Founder of Transparency International) and Ariane Chebel d'Appollonia (Professor, Rutgers University - Newark, USA) will share their knowledge and expertise based on their in-depth studies or extraordinary experience in anti-corruption. You have to register for free access to each webinar. Details are:

Date and Time: Feb. 18, 2016; 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. ET
Presentation Title: Corruption, Culture and Organization Cultures
Speaker: Davide Torsello, Associate Professor of Socio-cultural Anthropology, Central European University Business School, Hungary
Register here.

Date and Time: March 28, 2016; 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. ET
Presentation Title: Green Cards for Sale? The Myths, the Truths and the Challenges of America's EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
Speaker: Samuel Newbold, Lawyer and Manager at Barst Mukamal & Kleiner LLP
Register here.

You may find the schedule for more webinars on the RIACS website. If you are interested in presenting at one of the webinars, please contact Professor Yahong Zhang.

FDA Fellowship Applications Due March 1

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is accepting applications for its Tobacco Regulatory Science Fellowships in the Center for Tobacco Products' (CTP) Office of Management. During this one-year, paid fellowship, CTP Fellows actively participate in the tobacco regulatory process. Candidates with an MPA, MPP or MBA are encouraged to apply. Fellows are awarded up to $95,000 based on salary history. The application process closes March 1. To find out more, visit the FDA Tobacco Regulatory Science Fellowship website.

MPAC Issues Call for Presentations

The 2016 Midwest Public Affairs Conference (MPAC), Integrating Public Policy Analysis and Management Research, will take place June 2-4, 2016, at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University.

To perform efficiently and effectively, governments at all levels are being asked to collaborate closely across agencies, other levels of government and with the business and nonprofit sectors. Given this, it is important that research analyzing public policy also integrates the managerial challenges inherent with the policy process. MPAC 2016 will explore how public policy analysis can be better integrated with management research. Can such an integrated investigation better help our understanding of government collaboration?

MPAC leadership encourages proposals that contemplate these questions, but need not address the conference theme. Opportunities include paper presentations, roundtables, workshops, posters and panels; we encourage participation from academics, practitioners and students. Our reviewers will accept proposals that entail research in progress, though they should have enough content to facilitate participant discussion. Relevant papers may be asked to submit to a symposium by the conference's affiliated publication, the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs. More details on this and other opportunities are available on MPAC's website. Please send questions to MPAC President Stephen Kleinschmit, Ph.D. Abstracts should be submitted to [email protected] by March 15, 2016.

Follow our updates on MPAC Facebook and MPAC Twitter.

Apply Now for the 2016 Innovations in American Government Awards

Applications are being accepted for the $100,000 Innovations in American Government Awards. Offered by Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, the Innovations Award recognizes programs that demonstrate creative and effective government at its best. All units of government—federal, state, local, tribal and territorial—from all policy areas are eligible to apply for recognition. The Ash Center is also once again offering the Roy and Lila Ash Innovations Award for Public Engagement in Government, a special Innovations Award that will recognize government-led programs that demonstrate novel and effective approaches to increasing public engagement and participation in the governance of towns, cities, states and the nation. The winners of the Innovations in American Government Award and the Roy and Lila Ash Award will each receive a $100,000 grant to support replication and dissemination activities in 2017. Top finalists will also receive monetary grants. Applications and additional information are available online. Applications are due on April 15, 2016.

PAR Update


Public Administration Review has released its 2016 March/April Table of Contents. The issue includes Perspectives, Evidence in Public Administration, Theory to Practice and more. Articles in the issue include:

• Is Public Administration Vanishing?
• Implementing Change in Big Public Institutions
• Advancing Public Policy for High-Growth, Female, and Social Entrepreneurs
• The Other Side of the Coin: NGOs, Rights-Based Approaches, and Public Administration
• Rules and the Doctrine of Performance Management

Click here for more detailed information about this upcoming issue!

New on PA Times Online

New on the ASPA Blog


Looking for interesting commentary on news events and contemporary issues? Check out the ASPA Blog, which features a collection of authors writing on everyday life from the eyes of a public manager, student or young professional.

Featured recently on the Blog:

Food and Government: Part I

Trump your Inner Self

Career Resources


Find your next career opportunity at publicservicecareers.org. This online job board is the perfect resource for making a career change or landing your first job in the public sector. It lists dozens of positions in academia, government and the nonprofit sector. Below are examples of current listings.

Consultant/Analyst – Government Financial Officers Association, Chicago, Ill.

Senior Research Associate – Georgia State University, Atlanta, Ga.

Director of the Center for Information and Communication Sciences – Ball State University, Munci, Ind.