Some Background About Me

     I just wanted to start by taking some time to introduce myself and give a little context to my goals, interests, and aspirations. My name is Anthony, I am a senior in the School of Public Affairs and I major in Public Service & Public Policy with a concentration in Nonprofit Leadership & Management. Additionally I am a student in Barrett, The Honors College and I am starting work on a Thesis/Creative Project this semester that will encompass applying sustainability and entrepreneurship to a community project.

     Working in the public sector was not my original life plan it just happened to be something that I fell in too much like the degree I am taking. My original career was in the wireless telecommunications industry where I have held a number of mid-to-top level management positions with various service providers. I’ve also owned two businesses and continue to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors primarily in property management now.

     My plan after graduating is to continue through graduate school where I plan to obtain a Master’s in Public Administration and then proceed into a Ph.D. program that focuses in Public Affairs. Research has always been something that has interested me. As an undergraduate I have been fortunate enough to gain a wealth of experience as a research affiliate with the Center for Organization Research & Design. Ultimately it led to my first publication, a book chapter about social entrepreneurship that I co-authored with Dr. Gordon Shockley. My area of research looks at the connection that entrepreneurship has across the sectors in its commercial, social, and policy based forms. I specifically focus on finding market-based solutions for massive public problems.

     For my internship I chose something to strategically fulfill a specific gap on my resume. So the goals I look to achieve during this experience are very focused. First, the most specific goal is to gain experience designing a curriculum from the ground up for an institution of higher-education. My second goal is to translate leadership skills that I have gained over my career to successfully coordinate 15 sections of a college course. My third goal is to create a positive experience for the students and instructors that is both engaging and full of powerful resources. The specific desire for these goals is to gain a breadth of higher education teaching experience.

     I believe that my internship will give me an experience that I would not be able to gain otherwise. It will also help as I transition careers into academia because after all my goal is to become a professor. I enjoyed sharing a little about myself and look forward to reflecting about my internship experience in the coming weeks.