MPA RESEARCH BOOK FINAL DRAFT

Awareness of
MPA Programs
for Non-Profit &
Public Workers
Eman El Saied
Tre Staugher
Michelle Russell
Jared Ohgren
Charlie Beirne
Jillian Everett
By

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CLIENT SUMMARY
o Mission Statement
o Primary Goals
o Primary Objectives
o Primary Audience
PROJECT SUMMARY
SURVEY
o Method Overview
o Data Collection
o Data Analysis
CONTENT ANALYSIS
o Method Overview
o Data Collection
o Data Analysis
IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW
o Method Overview
o Data Collection
o Time & Location
o Data Analysis
INSIGHT SUMMARY
RECCOMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
APPENDIX

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
While conducting research on the key messages of the Masterof Public Administration
Program, different messages appeared more prominently in different research methods.
To restate, below are the key messages and their sub categories:
AWARENESS
o Majority were not aware or vaguely aware or vaguely aware
o Lack of knowledge and perception
RECEIVINGA MPA DEGREE
o Majority have no interesting in receiving MPA degree.
o Majority felt receiving an MPA degree wouldn’t help them advance in career.
INTEREST IN MPA PROGRAM
o Majority don’t see a desire to fulfill; no interest
o Some were not interested because they thought MBA would be more useful.
CLIENT SUMMARY
L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs
Mission Statement- Our mission is to prepare leaders and generate knowledge to
promote sustainability, resiliency,and equity in government and community.
o Our vision is to be the premier resource and advocate for all those involved
in decision making for the public good.
o We value fairness, good governance, and the courage to question the status
quo in order to inspire, improve, and engage our many communities.
o Primary Publics
COMMUNICATION AUDITS PROJECT SUMMARY
o Situation Analysis
o Communications Objections Prioritized
o Research Questions
o Research Methods Proposed to Answer Research Questions
 Quanitative
 Qualitative

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SURVEY
METHOD OVERVIEW
This method was used to find out what non-profit and public workers know about MPA
programs in general, if they received an MPA degree, and if they are interested in
receiving an MPA degree in the future. The online tool used to conduct the research was
Qualtrics Survey Software.
DATA COLLECTIONS
Sampling Strategy
o The direct populations targeted were current and nonprofit workers.
Participation Recruitment
o Current public and nonprofit workers were contacted and asked to disperse the
survey to otherpublic and nonprofit workers. Relatives and friends in these
fields were also contacted.
Response Rate
o The survey collected 30 participants from the 30 that were contacted.
DATA ANALYSIS
The survey questions were designed to learn the level of knowledge about the VCU MPA
program as well as otheruniversity MPA programs in general, and whether an MPA
degree is preferred among current nonprofit and public workers.

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UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE
Our participants were evenly divided when asked if they have in undergraduate degree in
the area related to their career field.
GRADUATE DEGREE
More participants did not have a graduate degree than those who did have a graduate
degree.

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NECESSITY OF GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE
Most of our participants said an undergraduate degree was enough when trying to find a
job in the governmental sector and nonprofit sector.
MPA OR RELATED DEGREE
Most participants felt it was of moderate importance to obtain an MPA or related degree
in their field of work.

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FURTHER EDUCATION
Most participants did not feel an existing need to go back to schoolfor a degree.
GENERAL INTEREST IN A DEGREE IN AN MPA PROGRAM
Most participants agreed they would not be interested in receiving their MPA degree in
general.

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INTEREST IN MPA DEGREE AT VCU
Most participants agree they would not be interested in receiving their MPA degree at
VCU.
INTEREST IN MPA DEGREE AT OTHER UNIVERSITIES
Most participants agreed they would not be interested in receiving their MPA degree
from another university.

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FAMILIARITY WITH THE VCU MPAPROGRAM
Most participants are either unfamiliar or somewhat familiar with the MPA program at
VCU.
OVERALL RESULTS
Our overall consensus from our survey participants is that there is small interest in
receiving an MPA from either VCU or any other MPA programs. We also found
there is a lack of knowledge specifically with the MPA program offered at VCU.

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CONTENT ANALYSIS
SAMPLING PROCESS
Since Facebook is a public website, we were able to acquire 30 posts with no hassle.The
posts that were looked at were the first 30 that both group members saw at the time of
coding, which was March 20, 2015.
CODING PROCESS
We assigned two group members to take part in the coding process for this project. We
looked at 30 individual Facebook posts from ten unique universities’ Facebook pages for
their MPA programs.
Facebook is a great way to reach both new audiences and existing audiences within each
school’s MPA programs. Some of the variables we coded for exemplified whether posts
included photos or videos,if the schoolengaged with the “likers” of the page by replying
back to comments, how many shares,likes, and comments each post had, whether or not
the post included hashtags ortagging of other Facebook pages,and if posts had links
included and whether or not those links linked back to the school’s MPA website.
Does having an active and well-managed Facebook page increase the awareness of
MPA programs?
DATA ANALYSIS
After researching 10 colleges, and their MPA programs, it is apparent what the VCU
Wilder School can fix. Every schoolis different in how they treat their Facebook pages.
L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Facebook are very
unorganized and have very little engagement, barely post on their page, carrying only 344
likes, 31 visits total. Due to VCU’s lack of social media posts,it's clear to see if they
increase the amount of time spent posting,and pay attention to the time of day it would
make all the difference.
When reviewing other schools and how they handled their Facebook pages,the amount
of strategies used to gain likes is extremely interesting. The Rutger School, for example,
is very engaged with students in their programs. They posted daily, and within each post
included a hashtag,a tagged person to the program they were working with, and links to
their own website. It is also apparent posts made in the morning (between 8am-9am),
have less likes then posts between 1-3 p.m.

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We concluded students are on their phones and laptops checking social media
in the afternoon more than they are in the morning. In addition to their
constant posting per hour, Rutgers post many events and invites all student
participation, not just members of their MPA program. This allows them to
reach current and post-graduate students who attended Rutgers University and
prospective students who did not attend with an opportunity to see what they
have to offer.
FOR MORE INFORMATION,PLEASE VIEW THE CODEBOOKTO VIEW
ANALYTICS OF HOW SCHOOLS UTILIZE SOCIAL MEDIA!

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IN DEPTH INTERVEW
METHOD OVERVIEW
In-depth interviews were used to learn the extent of the Masters of Public Administration
Program (MPA) at Virginia Commonwealth University, their experiences working as
public and nonprofit workers, and how we can spread awareness to them about the
program.
DATA COLLECTION
Sampling
o Each member utilized their resources in various public and nonprofit sectors
located in the Richmond area.
Description of the Interviews
o Interviewees were both public and nonprofit workers, ranging in age and
demographic. They qualified for in-depth interviews because they are certified
and hold positions within their departments/sectors.
Time and Location
o In-depth interviews were scheduled on Monday,March 30, 2015 through
Tuesday,April 7, 2015. Interviews were held in person and via telephone.
Data Analysis
o As part of our research we reached out to nonprofit and public workers in the
Richmond area to receive information on their preexisting knowledge of various
programs on VCU’s campus, as well as determine effective marketing and
promotion strategies for these programs. Our interviewees have varied
experience working in nonprofit and public sectors.They all have prior
knowledge of the MPA program and have considered applying but felt
information was scarce.

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IN DEPTH INTERVEWCONTINUED
KNOWLEDGE OF MPAPROGRAM
Interviewees were asked if they are aware or have any prior knowledge of the MPA
program at VCU. Responses were:
INTERVIEWEE #1’S RESPONSE
“Yes, I am. I hosted classes here at the Better Business Bureau office with Nancy Stutts
almost 25 years ago. I employed one or two people involved in the class.”
“Yes I am aware of the program, but I’m not privy of any knowledge each concentration
offers. I know it exists.”
“Yes. I know the program has been in existence for10-15 years.The program is definitely
more kinesthetic (hands on) and it leans towards a more practical approach to
government and nonprofit sectors.”
“I feel like I am slightly aware of the program. I know that they offer service learning
internships and they are located in the Wilder School at VCU.”
“Yes, I actually applied to the program in 2013. I know some friends of mine who were
interested in the program, but I’m not sure if they applied or not.”
“Yes, I actually thought about applying to their program. I know there is a huge focus on
more of the legal and public policy aspects ofgovernmental and public sectors.I first
heard of the program when I was a criminal justice major.”
“I haven’t really looking into applying for the MPA program here at VCU, but looking
into it more and if I was provided more information I would be more interested.”

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‘I’m not sure what the MPA program at VCU is about. I have vaguely heard about it, but
even if I was provided more information I would be of interest.”
BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MPA PROGRAM
Interviewees were asked what benefits they would associate with the MPA program at
VCU. Responses were:
“Students receive the ultimate benefit by going through the MPA program. It saves us
time on training and it saves themtime on having to be trained on-the-job. They come
through the door with great experience and great practice in the field. Plus, I know over
there learning is fundamental and supported widely by the faculty and staff.”
“I think one of the greatest benefits you can probably receive through the program is
being able to increase your chances of being applicable for a higher-paying position. I’m
not familiar with nonprofit sectors,but I would assume your knowledge would prepare
you and apt you to betterserve your community in their respective fields.”
“The accreditation of the program is one of its most valuable assets.You are expected to
take a capstone course with a large agency; right now I am working with the Department
of Taxation. It’s also a great environment to network, it’s open to a variety of students
and early career students.”
“Creating partnerships is a benefit, but also being able to combine leadership skills with
other effective promotion of causes and awareness specifically to their concentration.”
“One of my reasons for applying is I want a career with the federal government. The
benefit, for me, would’ve been being a young woman who represents a minority, with a
master’s degree, setting me apart from her other candidates.I think it’s beneficial to
students who want to set themselves apart from the competition, or at least even the
playing field.”

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“Going back to the legal aspect being its biggest asset that would probably be one of the
benefits of the MPA program. Specifically, the executive leadership concentration would
be a great benefit to students because it teaches themabout leadership abilities and skills
focusing on the scope of public organization sector. They increase their chances of being
applicable and attainable in their field of resource.”
“On a personallevel, it will provide the person with further knowledge with regards to
finance, business structure,leadership skills, nonprofits,and governmental structures.In
a business sense,the degree can of course provide legitimacy to the cause and offer better
opportunities.”
“Having an additional degree could be nice, and potentially networking with other non-
profit leaders.”
EXPECTATIONS FOR THE MPAPROGRAM
Interviewees were asked their expectations for the MPA program at VCU. Responses
were:
“Make it worth something to the student.The student needs to be educated the way the
student deserves to be educated at the graduate level. If it’s public affairs or lobbying,
managing trusted private/ public funds, they should be well versed in what they’re
expecting to do for their career. Having a basis of knowledge and building on it is
essential. Make sure it’s for the general public; the community recognizes the benefit of
the persons they’re choosing.”
“I would like to see small classroomsettings,qualified teaching staff and a smaller
student-to-teacherratio allowing for more engaged thought and activities within the
classroom. As far as internships go, I would include actual government agency
internships.Make it easy on the student when trying to find and navigate through these
channels of information. Most government jobs will ask if you have worked as an intern
during your undergraduate studies which is why the program should increase the
visibility of its students forall public and nonprofit entities and should be pushed for all
students within the program.”

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“I’m hoping for a nonprofit management certification which increases my understanding
of how to properly manage a nonprofit organization. For prospective students,Iknow
there is a huge alumni base; if people are entering positions within the state my hope is
for them to use the alumni base as mentors and partners for prospective students.It’s
simple, but very beneficial.”
“Teachers who have been engaged within the community or have firsthand knowledge
would be essential.Kinesthetic (hands-on)teaching method and opportunities for
students to demonstrate what they’ve learned I feel would enrich the programs culture as
well... Also, for service learning, students should be able to choose from a variety of
options.”
“They should be more visible in the community. Go around to different classes and speak
on why it would be beneficial for them to have or to enter the program; bring in guest
speakers, speakabout possible careers choices and opportunities,and why it would be
beneficial. The more informed people are, the betterretention rate of them actually
seeking you out and applying.”
“Well-diverse faculty; I find this to be the most appealing factor to students acquiring a
MPA degree. I would also say the interdisciplinary exchange and having different
concentrations focused outside ofthe program’s legal aspects offer more to the student
and accessorize them with unique abilities and qualities. Seeing how the students are
doing throughout the course of internships should always be employed… On expanding
the diversity of internships,it would have to be a collaborative effort, as well as
following up with the student during the internship. I would also like for the website to be
more interactive; you should be able to navigate through the structure of each
concentration and internship opportunities.”
“I would expect to have a better sense ofMacro and Micro economics, organizational
development, business strategy and modeling, and of course the confidence to be able to
apply it all. I would also expect to learn all of this and be able to successfully apply it to
nonprofits, governmental organizations, and businesses in general.”
“I would expect very few expectations for the MPA program, but some real word
experience would be the most I would expect to gain from it.”

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IMPORTANCE OF MPADEGREE
Interviewees were asked how important is receiving an MPA degree, and
why/ why not. Here are those responses:
INTERVIEWEE #`’S RESPONSE
“Very important, the more education,the better. Take all the information yourprofessors
have gained and use it to yourfullest potential.. It’s also to the client’s benefit to receive
service from a mastered professional. For nonprofits,they will mostly address clients and
customers. Customers support yourorganization. In any nonprofit the customer is the one
paying the bill. Your services would go to the client. However each relationship is
important to obtain and keep; the strongerthe relationship, the more satisfaction received
on both ends.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s vital, but it can be beneficial. You need a master’s degree to even be
qualified for certain positions,and it can be helpful for obtaining a higher-paying
position. Although in some fields a bachelor’s degree is sufficient, the extra training and
resource materials help increase your visibility and chances of being hired higher up in
your particular field of interest. I would say there is a large demand for one, but its
importance is not critical to most.”
INTERVIEWEE #3’S RESPONSE’
“It’s a stepping stone.It definitely gives perspective and grows the individual’s skill
sets.”
“It’s somewhat important to me. I would probably major in sustainable development or
executive leadership because they are huge focal points for me. Knowing the ins and outs
of the business,knowing exactly how to manage my own organization properly and
handling pressing events as they may arise would definitely enable me to be more
prepared for my career.”
“It’s important because it would give me an opportunity to utilize skills I’ve already
gained as well as enlarge my competitiveness on the playing field for federal jobs.”
“I would love to receive one. It could definitely help me weigh my options,and it could
do the same for a lot of other students who are in between fields or looking for more
experienced or rigorous task. It can’t harm you, it could only increase your skill sets and
value to companies and organizations.”

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“I’ve looked more into obtaining my MBA but further looking into the MPA it seems
increasingly appealing the more I look at it. I believe that obtaining either one will help
me move forward within my career. I can’t see myself moving on in my career without
one or the other.”
“Getting a MPA is unimportant to me because I want an MBA. I believe that,
increasingly, non-profit leaders will be expected to have the same business acumen as
leaders of businesseswith other tax designations,and I believe an MBA will provide this
type of training.”
INSIGHT SUMMARY
We found through our research it was difficult to obtain participants,within the
nonprofit and public workers’ sector, who were willing to complete our online survey
and/ or an in-depth interview. As students with limited resources to individuals within the
field, it was a task to reach them. As a team, we created a list of contacts and resources to
collect data. Our original plan was to meet with professionals chosen by the Program
Director who are located in the Richmond area. Our surveys as well were to be
distributed using the “snowball effect” to maximize survey response.The participants we
decided to contact are post-graduate students currently working in government, nonprofit,
or public sectors with one participant being chief executive officer of corporation.
After our initial efforts were deferred, we altered our strategy to obtain a survey
responses and maximize interview participation. We were referred to other contacts based
off our initial contacts.The recommendations of the initial contacts offered us an
opportunity to navigate through varied organizations located in the Richmond area. We
reached out to 20 contacts specifically for interviews, and we received a total of 8
responses.
Two members were able to interview both current nonprofit and public workers
in the Richmond, Virginia. Having a personalrelationship with most of the participants ,
these two individuals were able to connect with interviewees to obtain knowledgeable
information for our research. Due to time constraints and low responses,they were
unable to speakwith any chosen participants offered through the program director.
As the data collection deadline clos, we used the strategy of contacting anyone
we knew currently working in a nonprofit or public sector, whether in-state or out-of-
state.Though we reached our lowest target goal, our dedication to reaching out and
understanding the knowledge of our target audience served to greatly impact the MPA
program’s knowledge of its publics and their awareness of the program.

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APPENDIX A- SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE
Research Question:
What is the value of a MPA degree?
Cover Letter:
Dear Participant,
We are students enrolled in a Public Relations Research (MASC 425) course at
Virginia Commonwealth University, and we are conducting a survey to examine
awareness of programs at VCU that relate to your professionalfield. Therefore, you have
been chosen to participate in this study because you fit our select demographic. In this
study, our demographic are nonprofit and public workers.
We are inviting you to participate in this research study by completing the
attached survey.This survey is brief and should only take 5-10 minutes to complete, and
your responses will remain confidential. It is our hope that the data collected will help
improve enrollment in VCU programs. We find your responses highly valuable to this
study,and would thoroughly appreciate your help.
Please feel free to contact us for any questions you may have. Thanks once again for
putting your time and effort into this survey,and helping us to better programs of interest
to you at VCU. Everything has been condensed below into a survey link that includes
instructions and survey questions.This will take no longer than 5-10 minutes. We
appreciate your time.
Sincerely,
Eman El Saied, Jillian Everett, Jared Ohgren, Charles Beirne, Michelle Russell, Trevon
Straughter
Contact: everettj@mymail.vcu.edu, ohgrenja@mymail.vcu.edu,
beirnec@mymail.vcu.edu russellmx@mymail.vcu.edu,straughtertr@mymail.vcu.edu,
elsaiede@mymail.vcu.edu
Instructor: Shana Meganck
Email: megancksl@vcu.edu

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APPENDIX A- SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE CONTINUED
Do you currently work in the nonprofit sector?
Yes No
Do you currently work in the governmental sector?
Yes No
What is the size of your current organization?
1-5 employees 6-10 employees 11-20 employees 21-30 employees
31-40 employees 41-50 employees 50+ employees
How long have you been at your current place of work?
0-1 years 2-4 years 5-7 years 8-10 years 11+ years
Do you have an undergraduate degree in an area related to your current career field?
Yes No
Do you have a graduate-level degree in an area related to your current career field?
Yes No
Do you think an undergraduate degree is enough when trying to find a job in the
governmental sector?
Yes No Not sure.
Do you think an undergraduate degree is enough when trying to find a job in the
nonprofit sector?
Yes No Not sure.
What do you find is the most valuable undergraduate major to be in your line of work?
[free response]
What do you find is the most valuable graduate major to be in your line of work?
[free response]
On a scale of 1-6 (with 1 being not at all important and 6 being extremely important),
what level of importance do you feel obtaining a Master of Public Administration or
related degree has in your field?
1- Not at all important 2- Low importance 3- slightly important
4- Neutral 5- Moderate Importance 6- Very important

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Do you feel that if you were to obtain a Master of Public Administration you
could advance in your current career?
Yes No Already have an MPA.
Are you interested in going back to school?
Yes No Not sure.
Would you be interested in receiving your Masters of Public Administration?
Yes No Not sure
Would you be interested in receiving your Master of Public Administration from
VCU? If yes or no, please explain.
[free response] Not sure.
Would you be interested in receiving your Master of Public Administration from
another university other than VCU? If yes or no, please explain
[free response] Not sure.
Do you have any interest in the below areas? (Check all that apply)
Environmental Policy Executive Leadership
Human Resource Management Non-Profit Management
Public Financial Management Local Government Management
Public Policy Analysis and Evaluation
How familiar are you with the Masters of Public Administration (MPA) program at
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
Unfamiliar Somewhat Familiar Familiar Extremely Familiar
If you have any knowledge of Master of Public Administration programs, what do other
university programs offer that you feel VCU should offer?
[free response]
What is your gender?
Male Female

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What is your age group?
18-24 years 25-34 years 35-44 years 45-54 years 55-64 years
64 years or older
Ethnicity (origin or race). Please specify your ethnicity.
White Hispanic or Latino Black or African American Native American
American Indian Asian/Pacific Islander Other I’d prefer not to answer.
What is the highest level of education you have completed?
High School diploma/GED Some college 2-year college 4-year college
Master’s Degree PhD or equivalent Other

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APPENDIX B- CONTENT ANALYSIS

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APPENDIX C- IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS

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