R. Zellem Capstone Portfolio

Master of Public Administration
Capstone Portfolio
May 2015
University of Vermont
Rachel Cook Zellem
R. Zellem Capstone Portfolio p.1

Table of Contents
I. Autobiography.........................................................................................................................................7
II. Reflection...................................................................................................................................................8
III. Resume.....................................................................................................................................................10
IV. Additional Notes...................................................................................................................................11
V. MPA Competency Rubric..................................................................................................................12
VI. Competencies
1. Public Governance
a. Capacity to understand accountability and democratic theory.................17
b. Capacity to manage the lines of authority for public, private, and
nonprofit collaboration, and to address sectorial differences to
overcome obstacles.......................................................................................................21
c. Capacity to apply knowledge of systems dynamics and network
structures in PA practice.............................................................................................25
2. Policy Process
a. Capacity to carry out effective policy implementation..................................29
b. Capacity to apply policy streams, cycles, systems foci upon past,
present, and future policy issues, and to understand how problem
identification impacts public administration.....................................................32
c. Capacity to conduct policy analysis/evaluation................................................36
3. Analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems, and make decisions
a. Capacity to employ quantitative and qualitative research methods for
program evaluation and action research..............................................................40
b. Capacity to initiate strategic planning, and apply organizational
learning & development principles........................................................................44
c. Capacity to apply sound performance measurement & management
practices.............................................................................................................................47
d. Capacity to apply sound financial planning & fiscal responsibility..........51
4. Public Service Perspective
a. Capacity to understand the value of authentic citizen participation in
PA practice........................................................................................................................
b. Capacity to understand the value of social & economic equity in PA
practices..............................................................................................................................
c. Capacity to lead in an ethical and reflective manner......................................64
d. Capacity to achieve cooperation through participatory practices............69
5. Communicate and interact with a diverse and changing workforce and
citizenry

a. Capacity to undertake high quality oral, written, and electronically
mediated communication and utilize information systems and media
to advance objectives...................................................................................................74
b. Capacity to appreciate the value of pluralism, multiculturalism, &
cultural diversity...........................................................................................................78
c. Capacity to carry out effective human resource management.................82
VII. Appendices
A. Title: Case Study Memo: Express Transit ...........................................................87
Type: Course Assignment, PA 301 Foundations in Public
Administration
Fall Semester 2013
B. Title: Budgeting and the Planning Process for a Nonprofit Theater......89
Type: Course Assignment, PA 305 Public & Nonprofit Budgeting
Fall Semester 2013
C. Title: UVM Internship Reflection...........................................................................92
Type: Final Reflection, PA 380 Internship
Spring Semester 2014
D. Title: Proposed Collaboration: The United Way & KIPP Foundation....98
Type: Course Assignment, PA 395 Nonprofit Marketing
Summer Semester 2014
E. Title: Walter Cerf Community Fund 2014 Grant.........................................101
Type: Course Assignment, PA 323 Nonprofit Administration
F. Title: Nonprofit Hospitals Merging with For-Profit Companies...........105
Fall Semester 2013
G. Title: The Role of State Economies in Budget Preparation....................107
Fall Semester 2013
H. Title: The Turning Point Center of Chittenden County............................110
Type: Term Paper, PA 323 Nonprofit Administration
I. Title: Central Chittenden County Dog Park..................................................121
Type: Wiki Content, PA 395 Project Management
J. Title: Case Study: Youth Services Collaborative.........................................135
Administration
Fall Semester 2013
K. Title: Bureaucratic Politics & Policy.................................................................138
Type: Course Assignment, PA 306 Policy Systems

L. Title: Organizational Cultural Analysis for Kaufman & Presber
Financial Planning....................................................................................................144
Type: Course Assignment, PA 302 Organizational Theory & Behavior
M. Title: Service Organizations: Fostering Social Capital in an Online
Environment...............................................................................................................185
Type: Research Proposal, EDFS 209 Intro to Research Methods
N. Title: Service Clubs go Digital: Building Social Capital in an Online
Environment...............................................................................................................204
Type: Poster, PA 375 Public Administration Capstone
O. Title: News Blog: Candid Criticism for Fed....................................................205
Administration
Fall Semester 2013
P. Title: Summative Assessment: Candid Criticism for the Fed.................206
Administration
Fall Semester 2013
Q. Title: A Lack of Internal Control at a Charter School in Pittsburgh.....207
Fall Semester 2013
R. Title: Case 59: Email Responses..........................................................................210
Type: Course Assignment, PA 395 Human Resource Management
S. Title: Vermont Faces a New Kind of Lake Monster: A Clean Water
Policy Analysis............................................................................................................214
Type: Final Paper, PA 306 Policy Systems
Spring 2015
T. Title: The United Way of Chittenden County: A Budgetary Analysis..234
Type: Final Paper, PA 305 Public & Nonprofit Budgeting
Fall Semester 2013
U. Title: Overhead Stigma's Impact on Human Resource Management..251
Type: Final Paper, PA 395 Human Resource Management
V. Title: Method in Action: Focus Groups.............................................................265
Type: Course Assignment, PA 326 Community & Economic
Development
Fall Semester 2014
W. Title: If Potato Salad Can Do It, Why Can't We? How Nonprofits Can
Use Crowdfunding to Engage Millennial Donors........................................269
Type: Final Paper, PA 395 Nonprofit Governance & Development
Fall Semester 2014

X. Title: Response: 10 Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards...........281
Type: Course Assignment, PA 395 Nonprofit Governance &
Development
Fall Semester 2014
Y. Title: Working Bridges: A Humanistic Approach to Investing in the
Workforce.....................................................................................................................285
Type: Final Paper, PA 326 Community & Economic Development
Fall Semester 2014
Z. Title: Case Study Memo: Seattle Community Association........................293
Administration
Fall Semester 2013
AA. Title: Literature Review - Leadership.............................................................296
BB. Title: Literature Review - Public Sector Ethics............................................298
CC. Title: Thematic Analysis - Edward Snowden Covered Electronic
Tracks.............................................................................................................................300
Administration
Fall Semester 2013
DD.Title: Literature Review - Communication & Networking......................302
EE. Title: Response: Using Video to Build and Organization's Identity and
Brand..............................................................................................................................305
Development
Fall Semester 2014
FF. Title: Response: From Website Visitor to Online Contributor..............308
Development
Fall Semester 2014
GG. Title: Cultural Diversity - Closure Essay..........................................................311
Type: Course Assignment, PA 395 Serving Culturally Diverse
Populations
HH.Title: Literature Review - Diversity...................................................................314
II. Title: Case Studies 9 & 11 - Diversity in the Workplace............................316
Type: Course Assignment for PA 395 Human Resource Management

JJ. Title: Case Studies 41& 46 - Hiring Practices................................................318
KK. Title: Case Study 66: Compensation Benefits...............................................320
LL.Title: Case Study 16: Sexual Harassment.........................................................322
Type: Course Assignment, PA 395 Human Resource
Management Summer
Semester 2014
MM. Title: Community & Economic Development Through a Proposed Prison
in Magnolia, AR.....................................................................................................323
Type: Group Project, PA 326 Community & Economic Development
Fall Semester 2014

Autobiography
I was born and raised in Somerset, Pennsylvania, a rural farming community in the
southwestern part of the state. After high school, I earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from
the University of Pittsburgh, and then got a job at a local bank where my dad worked. I worked in
various departments of the bank through my early 20s, ultimately making a home for myself in
the Trust Department, where I enjoyed the quality of client relationships and the level of service
I could provide. When I was about 25, I joined a Rotary Club, where I learned a great deal about
the importance of community involvement and voluntarism. These were values that had long
been instilled in me by my parents and grandparents, but this was the time in my life where
I really began to put them into practice.
When I was 27, I got married, and very shortly thereafter, my new husband and I
moved to Vermont. The two of us had both visited the Green Mountain State a handful of times,
and living here had been a dream for both of us. It was a risk; we were both leaving behind good
jobs without any immediate prospects in exchange for the opportunity to live in a place we loved.
My job search was challenging and disheartening. I had begun to take on leadership
responsibilities at my old job and in the community, but in Burlington, I struggled to find an
entry-level position. I ultimately found work, through a temp agency, as an
administrative assistant at a financial planning firm, but the process had inspired me to reflect
inward. My job search helped me understand the things that genuinely motivated me and
gave me a sense of what I really wanted to do. It was then that I began to understand that I
needed a job wherein I could serve my community and the people in it. I chose the MPA
program because of the potential for work in the nonprofit sector, and the opportunity to
network with community leaders throughout Vermont.
Since beginning the program, I left my job with the financial
planning office, and completed an internship with University
Relations at here at UVM. I spent a summer working part-time for
the United Way of Chittenden County, which I loved, and began
working full-time for the University of Vermont Foundation, as a
Development Assistant, in September of 2014.

Reflection
Self-reflection has been a tremendous part of my experience in the MPA program. As
someone who had decided several years ago with absolute certainty that she would never
go back to school, I was more than a little bit surprised when I found myself enrolling in a
Masters program. My decision was sudden, but not made without serious consideration. In
the beginning of 2013, I found myself following an unfulfilling career path in the financial
sector and I realized that I needed to do something to break the cycle. I reflected on all of
the aspects of my professional life that were most meaningful to me: my involvement in
Rotary International, my participation on various nonprofit boards, and the relationship-
building I had done within the banking industry. After much thought, I decided that my
instincts were pointing me in the direction of a career in Public Administration.
Being the hesitant student that I was, however, led me to reflect deeply and often
throughout my first semester on whether or not I was making the right decision. I
discovered that my first two classes, Foundations and Budgeting, were not just interesting,
but exciting. As I studied fundamental theory, I began to understand that I had always been
viewing the world around me, to some extent, through a public administrator's eyes. I
learned in Budgeting just how much one can understand about a nonprofit organization
when she takes the time to examine its financial situation. By the end of the semester, I felt
very confident that I was in the right place. As I write now, I wonder whether discoveries
like these were part of my self-reflection process or the result of it.
I have come to believe that an important aspect of self-reflection is to step outside of
the proverbial comfort zone for the sake of improvement. As a student, this meant self-
improvement, but as a public administrator it could mean any kind of organizational,
community, or public improvement. As a leader, the public administrator must be prepared
to make decisions and changes that can lead groups into new and sometimes unfamiliar
territory. It is only under these circumstances that true reflection can take place. An
administrator must have the tools to ask, in a pragmatic way, if her decisions made a
positive difference, and why or why not. She must be prepared to go back to the drawing
board and try something new based on what she and her colleagues have learned. Many

times throughout this process, I have had to push myself beyond what felt right and
comfortable, whether it be a challenging class assignment, or an entirely new way of
thinking.
Fortunately, I have had a strong network of trusted colleagues in the MPA program,
and they have provided support, guidance, new ideas, and friendship. Learning alongside
my peers has been a critical aspect of my self-reflection and growth. As in the world of a
public administrator, my colleagues in the classroom have not always agreed with me and
they have offered contradicting viewpoints to my own. I have come to embrace these
moments of discord, as they are opportunities to move beyond my own bounded
rationality. I will be forever grateful
My reflection as a student is nearly complete, but as a professional I have only just
begun. I hope to maintain and develop my ability to step beyond the comfort zone, learn
from my mistakes, and rely on the wisdom of others as I move through my career and my
life.

Rachel Zellem, MPA
89 Pleasant Avenue
Burlington, VT 05408
(802) 488-0504
rachelzellem@gmail.com
Skills Summary
 Microsoft Excel  Report Preparation
 Microsoft Word  Proofreading
 Microsoft Outlook
 Database Management (Andar, Advance)
 Professional Presentations
 Event Coordination
Professional Experience
Communication
 Write and proofread outgoing correspondence on behalf of front-line fundraisers and senior management.
 Created and presented dynamic presentations for colleagues throughout the organization to facilitate service
comprehension and open channels of communication.
 Managed online and media communications for a local service organization.
Planning & Coordination
 Coordinate bi-weekly "brown bag lunches" for front-line fundraisers to gather and discuss ideas and concerns
regarding prospect relationship cultivation and solicitation.
 Organize various types of events, including formal receptions and informal volunteer appreciation activities.
 Planned internal activities, such as corporate fundraising campaigns and company-wide outings.
Client Relationship Management
 Ensure the integrity of data for development officers and fundraisers as they communicate with potential donors
 Employ database functionality to generate complex reports.
 Utilize third party programs, such as Excel, to maximize the efficiency and accessibility of database outputs.
Collaboration & Support
 Coordinate with staff and volunteers, particularly during especially busy times in the organization, such as year-end
community campaigns, to avoid disruptions in productivity.
 Provide support for senior management and front-line staff in order that they can develop high quality relationships
with clients and prospects.
Relevant MPA Coursework (Anticipated Graduation in May 2015)
 Public & Nonprofit Budgeting
o Examined the mission and efficacy of a nonprofit organization through the lens of its budget.
 Nonprofit Administration
o Wrote sample grants for actual nonprofits in an academic environment
 Project Management
 Nonprofit Marketing
 Community & Economic Development
 Nonprofit Governance & Development (Independent Study)
o Explored fundraising strategies, giving particular consideration to methods of engagement for Millennials
Education
 University of Vermont 2013-2015 Burlington, VT
Masters of Public Administration
 University of Pittsburgh 2004-2006 Johnstown, PA
B.A. in Sociology
 Dickinson College 2002-2004 Carlisle, PA
Work History
 UVM Foundation Sept. 2014 - Present Burlington, VT
Development Assistant
 United Way of Chittenden County June 2014 - Sept. 2014 Burlington, VT
Resource Development Assistant (Part-Time)
 Hickok & Boardman Financial Plng. Jan. 2013 - Feb 2014 Burlington, VT
Operations Associate
 Sunrise Management Services March 2012 - Dec. 2012 Burlington, VT
Administrative Assistant
 Somerset Trust Company Sept. 2008 - Dec. 2011 Somerset, PA
Trust Administrator

Dedication
With love and gratitude, I humbly dedicate this portfolio to my husband, Justin Zellem.
This wild and wonderful journey would be much less wild and not nearly as wonderful without
you by my side. As much as I look forward to a lifetime of professional growth and fulfillment, I
am even more excited for the joy and satisfaction that my partnership with you continues to
bring me every day.
Special Thanks
I offer my sincerest thanks to the faculty and staff at the University of Vermont who have
made my time in the MPA program so valuable. Under your guidance, I have discovered so much
about myself and the world around me.
I remain eternally grateful to my colleagues in Public Administration and Community
Development and Applied Economics. Your diverse contributions and dynamic energy have
enlightened me in more ways than you may ever know. Thank you for letting me be a part of this
incredible community.
A Note About This Document
This portfolio is designed to demonstrate my achievement of seventeen competencies in
the field of Public Administration. These competencies are defined within the guidelines set forth
by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. The competencies
and the rubric upon which I was evaluated is shown in pages to follow. I have assessed my
achievement in each of the defined competencies on a 1-4 scale and I have written an
essay which details my self-assessment for each competency. Within these essays, the reader can
click on the Appendix Identifier, which will link him or her to the corresponding piece of
evidence.

UVM MPA COMPETENCIES --- 2015
1 Public Governance (1)
Does not meet standard
(2)
Approaches the standard
(3)
Meets the standard
(4)
Exceeds the standard
1a
Capacity to understand
accountability and
democratic theory
Does not demonstrate an
understanding of the
relationship between
democracy and accountability
Is able to explain in simple
terms why accountability is
important to democratic
systems
Can illustrate how accountability in a
democratic society persists within
particular cases and contexts
Is able to critique the extent to
which a robust accountability
framework is evident in particular
cases and contexts
1b
Capacity to manage the lines
of authority for public,
private and non-profit
collaboration, and to
address sectorial differences
to overcome obstacles.
Cannot distinguish public
sector organizations from
business or nonprofits. Cannot
explain why governance is
important to understand.
Cannot explain how vertical
command and control
structures differ from
horizontally arranged ones.
Cannot explain the value of
collaboration for orchestrating
public administration in diverse
settings.
Can explain in basic terms
what governance is and why
it is important to PA practice
Is able to provide a set of
examples of where
collaboration and conflict
persist within single
organizations and between
organizations
Can illustrate how effective
collaboration within and between
organizations play a
role in the execution of public
policies
Can illustrate how administrative
authority exists within a
collaborative structure
Can describe conflicting needs and
interests inherent to public, private,
and nonprofit collaboration
Can illustrate the key drivers of
quality collaboration, and/or
identify conflict management
systems for optimal collaboration
and can apply them to new or
existing cases
1c
Capacity to apply knowledge
of system dynamics and
network structures in PA
practice
Does not understand the basic
operations of systems and
networks; Cannot explain why
understanding PA cases and
contexts in terms of systems
and networks is important
Can provide a basic overview
of what systems dynamics
and network structures are
and illustrate how they are
evident in particular cases
and contexts
Is able to undertake an analysis of a
complex public administration issue,
problem or context using basic
system dynamics and network
frameworks
Can apply system dynamics and
network frameworks to existing
cases and contexts to derive
working solutions or feasible
alternatives to pressing
administrative and policy
problems
Policy Process (1) (2) (3) (4)

2
Does not meet the standard Approaches the standard Meets the standard Exceeds the standard
2a
Capacity to carry out effective
policy implementation
Possesses a rudimentary
understanding of policy
implementation processes
within specific contexts.
Can undertake a detailed
assessment of policy
implementation within
specific contexts.
Is capable of comparing policy
implementation processes across
different policy domains, and decipher
challenges to effective policy
implementation processes.
2b
Capacity to apply policy
streams, cycles, systems foci
upon past, present and future
policy issues, and to
understand how problem
identification impacts public
administration
Possesses limited capacity to
utilize policy streams and
policy stage heuristics model
to describe observed
phenomena. Can isolate
simple problems from
solutions, but has difficultly
separating ill structured
problems from solutions.
Possesses some capacity to
utilize policy streams and to
describe policy stage heuristics
model observed phenomena.
Possesses some capacity to
define how problems are
framed by different policy
actors.
Employs a policy streams
or policy stage heuristics
model approach to the
study of observed
phenomena.
Can demonstrate how
problem definition is
defined within specific
policy contexts and
deconstruct the relationship
between problem
definitions and solutions.
Employs a policy streams or policy
stage heuristics model approach to the
diagnoses of a problem raised in real
life policy dilemmas. Can articulate
how conflicts over problem definition
contribute to wicked policy problems.
2c
Capacity to conduct policy
analysis/evaluation
systematically evaluate the
effectiveness of specific policy
tools or interventions.
Have some exposure to
carrying out policy
analysis/evaluation, employing
simple evaluation methods and
approaches.
Can conduct an
independent piece of
policy analysis,
successfully rendering new
insights and applicable
findings for policy makers.
Can employ sophisticated analytical
techniques to render a policy analysis
or evaluation that provides new insights
and actionable items for policy makers.
3 Analyze, synthesize,
think critically, solve
problems and make
decisions
(1)
Does not meet the standard
(2)
(3)
Meets the standard
(4)

3a Capacity to employ
quantitative and
qualitative research
methods for program
evaluation and action
research
Possesses a limited capacity to
employ survey, interview or other
social research methods to a focus
area. Can explain why it is
important to undertake program or
project evaluation, but possesses
limited capacity to actually
carrying it out
Demonstrates a capacity to
employ survey, interview or other
social research methods to a focus
area and an understanding of how
such data and analysis is useful in
administrative practice. Can
provide a rationale for
undertaking program/project
evaluation and explain what the
possible goals and outcomes of
such an evaluation might be.
Can provide a piece of original analysis of an
observed phenomena employing one
qualitative or quantitative methodology
effectively. Possesses capacity to commission
a piece of original research. Can provide a
detailed account for how a program or project
evaluation should be structured within the
context of a specific program or project.
Demonstrates the capacity to
undertake an independent
research agenda through
employing one or more social
research methods around a topic
of study of importance to public
administration. This research
generates new knowledge about
the topical area. Can
demonstrate the successful
execution of a program or
project evaluation or the
successful utilization of a
program or project evaluation to
improve administrative practice
3b Capacity to initiate
strategic planning, and
apply organizational
learning & development
principles
Possesses a limited capacity to
describe how strategic planning
processes work and are used as a
feature of administrative practice.
Is cognizant that organizational
cultures exist, but cannot employ
analytical lens to describe and
analyze how organizational culture
impacts an organization’s capacity
to learn.
Can diagnose when a strategic
planning process would be useful
and begin to outline the rationale
for doing so. Has been exposed to
the concept of organizational
learning and can explain why it is
important to examine the
relationship between
organizational learning and
developmental principles and
practices. However, capacity to
apply these concepts to real
situations is limited.
Can demonstrate a knowledge of one or more
strategic planning processes or techniques
along with an explanation for how, where and
why they should be used. Can conduct an
analysis of an organization’s culture and can
identify opportunity for development and
promotion of organizational learning
opportunities via re-engineered performance
evaluations, ongoing professional
development, and evolved uses of information
technology and meeting protocols.
Have experience in leading or
contributing to a strategic
planning process at the design
and implementation phases. Can
demonstrate the how he/she has
applied organizational learning
and development concepts to
real situations.
3c Capacity to apply sound
performance
measurement &
management practices
Can provide an explanation of why
performance goals and measures
are important in public
administration, but cannot apply
this reasoning to specific contexts.
Can identify the performance
management considerations for a
particular situation or context, but
has limited capacity to evaluate
the effectiveness of performance
management systems.
Can identify and analyze performance
management systems, needs and emerging
opportunities within a specific organization or
network.
Can provide new insights into
the performance management
challenges facing an
organization or network, and
suggest alternative design and
measurement scenarios.
3d Capacity to apply sound
financial planning & fiscal
responsibility
Can identify why budgeting and
sound fiscal management practices
are important, but cannot analyze
how and/or if such practices are
being used within specific
contexts.
Can identify fiscal planning and
budgeting practices for a
particular situation or context, but
has limited capacity to evaluate
the effectiveness of a financial
management system.
Can identify and analyze financial
management systems, needs and emerging
opportunities within a specific organization or
network.
Can provide new insights into
the financial management
challenges facing an
organization or network, and
suggest alternative design and
budgeting scenarios.

4 Public Service Perspective (1)
(2)
(3)
Meets the standard
(4)
4a Capacity to understand the
value of authentic citizen
participation in PA practice
Can explain why it is important
for citizens to be involved in the
governance of their society in a
vague or abstract way, but cannot
provide specific explanations or
justifications applied to particular
contexts.
Can distinguish between authentic and
inauthentic citizen participation in field
contexts, but cannot articulate how participation
can either become more authentic or be
sustained in an authentic way.
Possesses the capacity to describe
how citizen participation can be
undertaken within an authentic way
that improves the democratic
accountability of an organization or
network.
Can demonstrate how she/he
has played a role in
facilitating citizen
participation in public
administration.
4b Capacity to understand the
value of social & economic
equity in PA practices
for social and economic equity to
flourish in a vague or abstract
way, but cannot provide specific
explanations or justifications
applied to particular contexts.
Can explain why social and economic equity is
important to PA and can identify how social
and economic equity or inequities persist within
a given context, but cannot diagnose why the
problem persists or how to address it.
Possesses the capacity to describe
and analyze social and economic
equity/inequity within specific
contexts. Can offer suggestion for
ways of improving inequitable
situations.
has facilitated the
improvement of inequitable
situations through action.
4c Capacity to lead in an
ethical and reflective
manner
for public administrators to act as
effective leaders in a vague or
abstract way, but cannot provide
specific explanations or
contexts.
Possesses a basic comprehension of leadership
and leadership theory within PA contexts, but
cannot apply concepts to specific cases with
any level of depth and insight. Can express
both orally and in writing why she/he is
pursuing an MPA and describe how the degree
will help him/her achieve goals. Possesses a
basic comprehension of ethical behavior and
decision-making within PA contexts, but cannot
apply concepts to specific cases with any level
of depth and insight.
Can apply leadership theories and
frameworks to specific situations
and contexts. Is able to articulate
how she/he views leadership as a
professional competency. Can
express both orally and in writing
how course concepts and learning
competencies synthesize with
his/her own life experiences.
Can apply ethical frameworks to
specific situations and contexts. Is
able to articulate how she/he views
ethics as a professional competency.
has lead in an effective,
reflective and ethical manner
in a PA context.
4d Capacity to achieve
cooperation through
participatory practices
for public administrators to be
open and responsive practitioners
in a vague or abstract way, but
cannot provide specific
explanations or justifications
applied to particular contexts.
Can identify instances in specific cases or
context where a public administrator
demonstrated or failed to demonstrate inclusive
practices.
Can demonstrate how inclusive
practices and conflict management
wins cooperation for forming
coalitions and collaborative
practices

5 Communicate and interact
with a diverse and
changing workforce and
citizenry
(1)
(2)
(3)
Meets the standard
(4)
5a Capacity to undertake high
quality oral, written and
electronically mediated
communication and utilize
information systems and
media to advance objectives
Demonstrates some ability to
express ideas verbally and in
writing. Lacks consistent capacity
to present and write. Can explain
why information technology is
important to contemporary
workplaces and public
administration environments.
Possesses direct experience with
information technology, but little
understanding for how IT informs
professional practice. Can explain
why media and public relations is
important to contemporary
workplaces and public
administration environments.
demonstrate how media framing
impacts PA practice.
Possesses the capacity to write documents
that are free of grammatical error and are
organized in a clear and efficient manner.
Possesses the capacity to present ideas in a
professional manner. Suffers from a lack of
consistency in the presentation of material
and expression or original ideas and
concepts.
Can identify instances in specific cases or
context where a public administrator
successfully or unsuccessfully
demonstrated a capacity to use IT to foster
innovation, improve services or deepen
accountability. Analysis this level is
relegated to descriptions and thin analysis.
Can identify instances in specific contexts
where media or public relations tools and
technique were successfully or
unsuccessfully employed. Possesses
limited capacity to apply media and public
relations techniques in real world settings.
Is capable of consistently
expressing ideas verbally and
in writing in a professional
manner that communicates
messages to intended
audiences.
Can identify how IT impacts
workplaces and public policy.
Can diagnose problems
associated with IT tools,
procedures and uses. Can
articulate how the role of the
media and public relations
informs PA practice. Can
envision media and public
relation strategies in specific
cases and contexts.
Can demonstrate some instances
in which verbal and written
communication has persuaded
others to take action.
Demonstrates a capacity to view IT
in terms of systems design. Is
capable of working with IT
professionals in identifying areas
of need for IT upgrades, IT
procedures and IT uses in real
setting.
Can demonstrate evidence of
leading or supporting public
relations campaigns on behalf of a
public or nonprofit sector
organization.
5b Capacity to appreciate the
value of pluralism,
multiculturalism & cultural
diversity
for public administrators to be
culturally competent in a vague
or abstract way, but cannot
provide specific explanations or
contexts.
Is able to demonstrate knowledge of diverse
cultures and groups.
Can express the value of differences and
difference perceptions in the workplace.
Demonstrates an ability to openly discuss
cultural differences and issues.
Demonstrates a capacity to be
aware of own behavior and its
impacts on others, a capacity to
understand how discrimination
impacts contemporary workplace
environments, and a capacity to
draw on diverse groups to solve
complex problems.
5c Capacity to carry out
effective human resource
management
Can explain why human resources
are valuable to any undertaking.
Possesses limited in capacity in
describing the critical feature of
successful human resource
management.
Can identify some of the major features of
effective human resource management
systems: staffing, performance evaluation,
motivations and benefits. Possesses
limited capacity analyze the HR issues
relative to specific situations and contexts
Demonstrates a capacity to
identify and manage the
necessary human capital to
carry out a task or function
within very specific contexts or
situations.
Can point to instances in which
he/she has lead or initiated
projects or systems designed to
improve human resource
management practices within a
specific setting.

MPA Capstone Learning Portfolio
Competency 1a. Capacity to understand accountability and democratic theory
Rachel Zellem
Supporting Evidence
 Appendix A
Case Study: Express Transit
PA301 Foundations of Public Administration
 Appendix B
Budgeting and the Planning Process for a Non-Profit Theater
PA 305 Budgeting for Public & Nonprofit Organizations
Self Assessment
Score: ____4____
Criteria you have met:
Is able to critique the extent to which a robust accountability framework is evident in
particular cases and contexts
Instructor Assessment
Score: _________

Competency 1a.
Capacity to understand accountability and democratic theory
My studies in the MPA program combined with previous experience have provided
me with the skills I need in order to critique the extent to which a robust accountability
framework is evident in particular cases and contexts
The first piece of evidence I have selected for this competency is a sample memo I
wrote as part of a case study I conducted in PA 301 Foundations in Public Administration.
The subject of the Case Study was Express Transit, a public transportation agency whose
questionable safety practices came under fire when a local newspaper printed several
articles with anonymous quotes from employees claiming that money-saving shortcuts
were being taken at the expense of passenger safety. My assignment was to examine the
case and write a memo from the point of view of Frank Preston. In his role as
Transportation Services Director Mr. Preston oversees the Vehicle Maintenance
department of the agency and he is writing to address Clayton Baker, the manager of the
aforementioned department.
In my memo, Mr. Preston takes the position that Vehicle Maintenance needs to be
prepared to take responsibility for its errors and oversights. The memo begins by
identifying some of the primary issues that exist within the maintenance department:
shortcomings in data recording practices, inadequate management practices, and unclear
standards for employee performance and behavior. He follows with a proposed course of
action that will hopefully result in enhanced accountability. He plans to spend more time at
the various locations of operation so that he, as senior management, will be aware of future
problems before they spiral out of control. He wants to see middle management take a
harder line with their teams and work more cohesively with one another.

He also emphasizes that employees need to be consistently rewarded for good work
and penalized for subpar work that could jeopardize the safety of passengers and the
reputation of the organization.
My second piece of evidence is a reflection that I wrote in Budgeting for Public and
Nonprofit Organizations. This assignment was to be a reflection of the week's readings,
which focused on operating budgets. Having served on a nonprofit theater board of
directors, I felt inclined to write use this opportunity to reflection on my experience with
that particular organization's budget. In hindsight, I see now that it was a real life case
study in accountability. By the time I joined the board, the organization was already in deep
financial trouble, though leadership had not yet fully realized it. The executive director,
who ran the organization with great enthusiasm and the best of intentions, was in over her
head where finance was concerned, and the board had historically not held her
accountable. Ticket sales were in a steady state of decline and the organization's spending
and external fundraising strategies had not adjusted accordingly. Though she had never
outright lied to her board, the executive director had failed to communicate the dire straits
of the situation.
When this stark reality finally became apparent to the board, the fiscal
responsibility once held by the executive director was immediately divided between her
and several senior members of the board. A third party consultant was hired to help the
organization through its financial crisis, and new long-term controls were put in place to
ensure that the board would not encounter a surprise of this magnitude again. Key among
these were new standards for disclosure between the executive director and her board.

The new system represented a framework of accountability that had not existed before,
which would be necessary for the long-term health of the organization.
These essays provide insight into how I learned to critique the extent to which a
robust accountability framework is evident in a particular case or context, both in
theoretical observation and actual practice.

Competency 1b. Capacity to manage the lines of authority for public, private and non-
profit collaboration, and to address sectorial differences to overcome obstacles.
Rachel Zellem
Supporting Evidence
 Appendix C
Internship Reflection
PA 380 Internship
 Appendix D
Proposed Collaboration: The United Way & KIPP Foundation
PA 395 Nonprofit Marketing
 Appendix E
Walter Cerf Community Fund 2014 Grant
PA 323 Nonprofit Administration
 Appendix F
Nonprofit Hospitals Merging with For-profit Companies
PA 305 Public & Nonprofit Budgeting
Self Assessment
Score: ____4____
Can illustrate the key drivers of quality collaboration, and/or identify conflict management
systems for optimal collaboration and can apply them to new or existing cases
Score: _________

Competency 1b.
Capacity to manage the lines of authority for public, private and non-profit
collaboration, and to address sectorial differences to overcome obstacles.
Through the course of my studies, I have developed the ability to illustrate key
drivers of quality collaboration and identify conflict management systems for optimal
collaboration and apply them to new or existing cases.
As my first piece of evidence, I present a reflection on my internship with the Local
Relations Department at the University of Vermont, which was, sadly, a harsh and
frustrating lesson in the conflicting needs and failed collaboration. When I was hired, I was
made to believe I would be overseeing the implementation and introduction of a new Staff
Volunteerism program at UVM. Unfortunately when I began in February of 2014, I learned
that the program had not yet been approved or even fully designed. As a result, my
internship took on an unanticipated focus in stakeholder onboarding, proposal writing, and
internal procedure creation. As outlined in my reflection, during the internship I
participated in meetings with various stakeholders across the universities to identify needs
and potential roadblocks. I learned the challenges of agenda setting and the ways in which
different perspectives and opinions can inhibit a project's progress and, in the case of the
staff service initiative, its success. I presented to leaders throughout the organization, and
each one presented his or her own unique set of concerns, resulting a new revision of the
plan. It felt, by the time my internship was completed, as though the plan had been revised
to almost nothing, and implementation would likely never occur. It was an incredibly
disappointing experience, but I did learn about some of the complicated challenges
associated with collaboration and leadership.

My second piece of evidence is an academic exercise and not a reflection of real life
experience, and therefore it takes on a much more optimistic tone. For my Nonprofit
Marketing class, I was asked to create a collaborative project in which a nonprofit of my
choosing may theoretically engage alongside that of one of our classmates. I chose The
United Way, and I partnered with an organization called the KIPP Foundation whose
mission was to provide educational opportunities to middle school and high school
students who want to continue on to college. Because education is part of the United Way's
mission, I saw real potential for collaboration there. The exercise gave me an opportunity
to think about how leadership from the two organizations would collaborate and what they
could achieve if they combined their resources and expertise. I proposed a new KIPP school
in Chittenden County, which would utilize the KIPP's proven system and United Way's
influential network of partners and volunteers to enhance educational opportunities for
school-aged children in Chittenden County. I received good feedback on this proposal and I
believe that this kind of partnership could be realistically be effective if the resources and
interest were present.
My third piece of evidence is also an exercise in imagined collaboration within an
academic environment. For Nonprofit Management, I was tasked with finding a grant and
writing a grant proposal that realistically could be submitted for consideration. I had just
completed a term paper about The Turning Point Center of Chittenden County, a recovery
support center located in Burlington. I was able to find a grant offered by the Walter Cerf
Community Fund, which gives grants to agencies that support Vermonters, but focuses on
arts, education, and community integration. I proposed that a $4,000 Cerf grant would
support a partnership between The Turning Point Center and Burlington City Arts, wherein

guests of the Turning Point Center could engage in an 8-week pottery class and learn new
and creative ways to express themselves, perhaps finding a lifelong passion and outlet. The
Cerf Fund, The Turning Point Center, and Burlington City Arts are three very different
nonprofit organizations, but I believe my plan represented a unique collaboration between
all three.
Finally, I submit as evidence a reflection I wrote for Public & Nonprofit Budgeting
after reading an article about a non-profit hospitals partnering with for-profit businesses.
Our class text, written by Weikart, Chen, & Sermier explored the challenges associated with
generating revenue for a nonprofit, and a nonprofit hospital carries a particular complexity.
Much of its income is fee-based, but because it serves a lower-income population, it cannot
rely on fees alone. Many nonprofit hospitals, particularly in light of the Affordable Care Act
(this article was written in 2013), had to reevaluate their revenue strategies, and some
even conducted a cost-benefit analysis of forgoing their tax exempt status in order to merge
with a for-profit partner. This is an example of cross-sector collaboration in very extreme
context. Writing this reflection gave me an opportunity to consider the risk mitigation that
goes into a collaboration at this high level.
These essays demonstrate my newly honed ability to identify opportunity for
quality collaboration and overcome potential conflict within collaboration and apply them
to specifict contexts.

Competency 1c. Capacity to apply knowledge of system dynamics and network
structures in PA practice
Rachel Zellem
Supporting Evidence
 Appendix G
The Role of State Economies in Budget Preparation
 Appendix H
The Turning Point Center of Chittenden County
PA 323 Nonprofit Administration
Self Assessment
Score: ____3____
Is able to undertake an analysis of a complex public administration issue, problem or
context using basic system dynamics and network frameworks
Score: _________

Competency 1c.
Capacity to apply knowledge of system dynamics and network structures in PA
practice
In demonstrating my ability to undertake an analysis of a complex public
administration issue using basic system dynamics and network frameworks I will be
presenting two pieces of evidence that showcase my ability to frame issues holistically
while addressing the complexity of a problem or context over time and across different
frameworks.
The first piece of evidence I submit is a reflection paper written for Public and
Nonprofit Budgeting. This essay is a response to Forsythe's evaluation the federal and state
economies. The author notes that the economy of an individual state cannot be expected to
perform in sync with the national economy at all times, but, for a variety of reasons, that
the economists who predict trends in the national economy do not take individual state
economies into consideration. I reflected on how a governor of a state would prepare a
budget at a time when his state's economy does not fit the pattern of the national economy.
I explored the ways in which a public administrator in this position would have to rely on
other indicators than the national trends to make fiscal decisions for the state. Perhaps he
or she would work with representatives from state industries, or examine the rate at which
my constituents are buying homes to determine the economic health of the state. He or she
may find that the state's economy is much more robust than the nation's as a whole and he
or she would use these findings to finalize the budget.
I believe this evidence demonstrates my ability to consider the system as a whole as
I try to address a complex public problem such as the budget I acknowledged the
complexities that exist between national and state system dynamics, and I tried to

incorporate various players within the framework as I thought about how a decision of this
magnitude would be made.
My second piece of evidence examines a more concrete example of state finance. For
Nonprofit Administration, I wrote a term paper about The Turning Center of Chittenden
County. For this paper, I researched all aspects of the Turning Point Center, its governance
structure, its mission, and its outputs. I also learned about funding. About half of the
Turning Point Center's $250,000 annual budget comes from the state, but the Center
struggles to make ends meet. I learned that Vermont has a Recovery Network with 11
centers throughout the state, and it allocates funds equally to all of the centers. This means
that despite the fact that the Turning Point Center of Chittenden County serves a great
population in an area with a higher cost of living, it is granted the same amount of funding
as its smaller, more rural counterparts. I first met with the Center's executive director not
long after Governor Shumlin's 2014 State of the State address, which focused heavily on
Vermont's opiate addiction problem, and the state had increased appropriations for the
Vermont Recovery Network. This increase is much needed, but the ED and the board at
Turning Point Center were still concerned. When I met them, they were just beginning to
lobby the state legislature to re-evaluate its funding structure to the Vermont Recovery
Network to a more proportionate format. This strikes me as a huge framework shift in
progress, and it was extremely interesting to see it through their eyes. The ED and the
board are passionate about the work they do, and they shared compelling arguments about
why a restructuring of the appropriations would be necessary.
These essays provide evidence of my ability to undertake an analysis of complex
public administration issues in various conexts, using basic system dynamics and network

frameworks. I am able to frame each issue holistically while addressing the complexity of
the problem or context over time and across different frameworks.

Competency 2a. Capacity to carry out effective policy implementation.
Rachel Zellem
Supporting Evidence
 Appendix I
Central Chittenden County Dog Park
PA 395 Project Management
Self Assessment
Score: ___3____
Criteria you have met
Can undertake a detailed assessment of policy implementation within specific
contexts.
Score: _________

Competency 2a.
Capacity to carry out effective policy implementation.
In my summer Project Management course, I had the opportunity to undertake a
detailed assessment of policy implementation within specific context. As an academic
exercise, I worked with a group of people in an online environment to implement a
fictitious project. As I was planning for my Capstone portfolio, I found myself particularly
hung up on the policy implementation competency, because I have never experienced this
sort of practice in a real-world environment, but it occurs to me that my experience in
project management was absolutely an exercise in policy implementation, and the myriad
challenges that are associated with it.
Our particular policy was focused on the creation of a new dog park in Chittenden
County. We were responsible for every aspect of the project, beginning with the definition
of goals and objectives. As we progressed through the class, we were introduced to new
features of project management, including the identification of risks and mitigation
strategies against those risks. We had to explore ways to include stakeholders, build a
budget, and identify potential donors.
We worked within a "Wiki" on Blackboard, and all users had equal access and
capacity to add or delete content. For this reason, it is difficult to pinpoint my exact
contributions, but I, like my classmates, was involved with every aspect of the project.
Personally, I spent extra time on the some features of the charter and the stakeholder
analysis. I wrote the budget, and identified some of our major fundraising opportunities. I
contributed to the risk assessment, and I wrote the status report and created a graphic
representation of it.

I feel that our group did particularly well when we wrote our charter and defined
our goals and objectives. I could see how this helped to facilitate steady progress. We all
had very different ideas about potential risks and how to mitigate them. I found that we
had to think collaboratively, which was a challenge. I came to understand that many of the
minor victories and shortfalls I experienced in class could be translated to real-world
practice on a larger scale. A well defined policy will have more success than an ambiguous
one, and where multiple players are involve in leading a charge, each individual's
rationality must give way to that of the group's.
The most challenging aspect of the course, for me, was its online format. It surprised
me that I struggled so much with it, but it helped me to understand just how crucial the
quality of communication can be in implementation. I have no doubt that my colleagues
were all intelligent and well-intentioned, but I struggled with a sense that we were not all
operating on the same page. Indeed, I encouraged my classmates to meet for lunch so that
we could have a real-time discussion of the project and each person's individual
expectations. This was helpful for me to move forward.
In the end, despite our many hiccups, I felt good about the project we created. I
believe that, given the time and the resources, we could have seen it successfully to fruition
based on the work we did in class, and I find myself applying my newfound knowledge of
the complications so closely tied with implementation when I consider the policies that
affect my life.

Competency 2b. Capacity to apply policy streams, cycles, systems foci upon past,
present and future policy issues, and to understand how problem identification
impacts public administration
Rachel Zellem
Supporting Evidence:
 Appendix J
Case Study: Youth Services Collaborative
PA 301 Foundations in Public Administration
 Appendix G
The Role of State Economies in Budget Preparation
 Appendix K
Bureaucratic Politics & Policy
PA 306 Policy Systems
Self Assessment
Score: ___3____
Employs a policy streams or policy stage heuristics model approach to the study of
observed phenomena.
Can demonstrate how problem definition is defined within specific policy contexts
and deconstruct the relationship between problem definitions and solutions.
Score: _________

Competency 2b.
Capacity to apply policy streams, cycles, systems foci upon past, present and future
policy issues, and to understand how problem identification impacts public
administration
My learning throughout this program has helped me to understand how I can
employ a policy streams or policy stage heuristics model approach to the study of observed
phenomena. My newly developed skills enable me to demonstrate how problem definition
is defined within specific policy contexts and deconstruct the relationship between
problem definitions and solutions
To demonstrate that I have achieved an understanding of how problem definition is
contextually defined, and the relationship between problem definition and action-based
solutions, I have selected two pieces of evidence. My first submission is a response to a case
study I read in my Foundations in Public Administration class. The assignment was to
compose a mock memo from the perspective of an actor involved with the Savannah, GA
school system. I chose to write from the perspective of Melanie Samson, a caseworker who
worked with young students in the school. From Ms. Samson's point of view, I sought to
identify the problem at hand, diagnose the cause of the problem, and propose steps for
agency-wide improvement. This was one of the first classes I took in the Public
Administration program, and therefore this assignment was one of the first times I sought
to identify a PA problem. I related to Ms. Samson because I worked briefly as a caseworker
for a Children & Youth Services Agency in Pennsylvania. I understood the frustration of a
street-level bureaucrat who recognized that her capacity to make a difference was limited
by the system itself. From Ms. Samson's perspective, influenced by my own personal
experience, I identified several causes of the agency's inefficacy. Among them were poor

internal training systems, a mismanagement of time, and a lack of cooperation among
partner agencies. Though a caseworker is not in a good position to change the system on
her own, I wrote this memo with the belief that her ideas could be heard and appreciated
by higher management.
The same semester, in my Public and Nonprofit Budgeting class, I relied on Dall
Forsythe's Memos to the Governor to consider how state leaders might consider current
economic trends, both nationally and locally, to develop their annual budget. Forsythe
explained that the economists upon whom budget officers rely generally provide
information about national economic performance, while state economies are not always in
sync with the national trend. This disparity challenges the integrity of the data that is used.
I offer this paper as another example of problem definition, with a particular emphasis on
unique contexts - in this case, the states in which budgets are being prepared. I suggested
that as a means of reconciling the problem of budget preparation in an uncertain economic
climate, state officials would do well to tap representatives from the industries most
productive in the state to help understand the specific economic picture. Certain industries
may report significant layoffs, or they may indicate growth. A state official may also find it
advantageous to talk to a more volatile sector like finance. Commercial and mortgage
lenders would likely be able to offer valuable data about industry growth and market
attitudes.
Because this competency focuses not only on problem identification, but also on
policy streams, I also submit a response I wrote in my Policy Systems class to a chapter
from Hill & Hupe's Implementing Public Policy. In this chapter, the authors dissect the well-
known stages model of public policy. Because calling it a stages model suggests a certain

rigidity that is simply not present in actual practice, Hill & Hupe are inclined to reject it as a
model and propose instead that it functions as a framework. That is to say that the stages
heuristic may indeed play a valuable role in more academic settings, where analysis and
specialization are prevalent. Scholars of public policy tend to study policy very precisely.
The stages model allows them to break that policy down into steps for analysis. A classic
example of this is Pressman & Wildavsky's 1973 Implementation, wherein the failed
Oakland Project is studied exclusively at the point of implementation. Other parts of the
process, such as problem definition and evaluation, are not part of the story. This need for
scholarly review is the reason that, despite their best efforts, Hill & Hupe are unable to
throw out the stages model or stages heuristic entirely.
These essays demonstrate how my learning in this program, in one case
applied retroactively to personal experience, has helped me to understand how I can
employ a policy streams or policy stage heuristics model approach to the study of observed
phenomena. My newly developed skills enable me to demonstrate how problem definition
is defined within specific policy contexts and deconstruct the relationship between
problem definitions and solutions

Competency 2c. Capacity to conduct policy analysis/evaluation
Rachel Zellem
Supporting Evidence
 Appendix S
Vermont Faces a New Kind of Lake Monster: A Clean Water Policy Analysis
PA 306 Policy Systems
Self Assessment
Score: ___3____
Can conduct an independent piece of policy analysis, successfully rendering new
insights and applicable findings for policy makers.
Score: _________

Competency 2c.
Capacity to conduct policy analysis/evaluation
In PA 306, Policy Systems, I learned the necessary skills to conduct an independent
piece of policy analysis, and how to render new insights through the process with findings
that would be applicable to policy makers.
Throughout the semester, we studied theory and case studies to develop an
understanding of the challenges that policy makers face. Deborah Stone's writing, in
particular, helped me to understand the complexity of the process; that even facts and
numbers are subjective in the polis. The primary deliverable for the course was a policy
analysis written in the Rabinowitz style, which begins with a problem definition, then
outlines policy options, carefully and objectively defining the pros and cons of each, and
then summarizing with a recommendation.
I wrote my policy analysis with a partner. She and I chose to write about the reduction
of phosphorus in Lake Champlain. We quickly discovered the complexity of the issue we
chose. The Lake Champlain Basin is a complicated system of rivers, bays, and other small
bodies of water which flow into the Lake. Phosphorus, a naturally occurring nutrient, runs
into these waters in an excess that disrupts the entire ecosystem. When an excess of
phosphorus is present in a body of water, it encourages toxic algae growth at the surface,
which blocks sunlight and oxygen in the water. Because the Basin is so complex, there are a
lot of ways in which phosphorus can enter the water. Point sources, such as waste water
and sewage treatment plants, are easily identified and somewhat easily regulated.
Nonpoint sources, however, such as farms, urban development, and transportation
infrastructure are far more difficult to identify and control.

To further complicate matters, the Lake Champlain Basin sits in New York, Vermont,
and Quebec, making it answerable to three states or provinces and two countries. The EPA
passed regulations in 2002 which worked to decrease phosphorus loads from point
sources, but nonpoint sources have been a growing problem. Now, the EPA is rejecting its
2002 rules, and compelling the states, Vermont in particular as the largest contributor of
phosphorus, to develop new regulations which will address the growing problem of
nonpoint source pollution.
The issue becomes even more difficult when one considers the changing climate.
Weather events like Tropical Storm Irene cause major spikes in phosphorus runoff. As the
climate shifts and these events may become more frequent, it is critical to address that in
the new policy.
We identified various policy options, among them additional regulations on waste
water treatment facilities, new regulations surrounding transportation and construction,
and a certification process for small farms. Through our research, we ascertained that the
complexity of the problem would require a process of participatory system mapping. Our
final recommendation was to conduct a six-month, comprehensive study which would
incorporate input from stakeholders in all affected sectors in the state of Vermont. This
recommendation was based on some research we encountered, as well as notes from the
H.35 bill which was passed by the House earlier this spring. We felt that it would yield rich
data about where the issue is greatest, what groups can be held accountable, and how to
encourage cooperation from all stakeholders.

The exercise helped me develop the skills I need conduct an independent policy
analysis, and we gained insight through the process that yielded findings that could be of
real value to a policy maker.

Competency 3a. Capacity to employ quantitative and qualitative research methods
for program evaluation and action research
Rachel Zellem
 Appendix L
Organizational Cultural Analysis of Kaufman & Presber Financial Planning
PA 302 Organizational Theory & Behavior
 Appendix M
Service Organizations: Fostering Social Capital in an Online Environment
EDFS 209 Intro to Research Methods
 Appendix N
Service Clubs Go Digital: Building Social Capital in an Online Environment
PA 375 Public Administration Capstone
Self Assessment
Score: ___3____
Can provide a piece of original analysis of an observed phenomena employing one
qualitative or quantitative methodology effectively. Possesses capacity to commission a
piece of original research. Can provide a detailed account for how a program or project
evaluation project should be structured within the context of a specific program or project.
Score: _________

Competency 3a.
Capacity to employ quantitative and qualitative research methods for program
evaluation and action research
The reader will see that as a result of my MPA studies, I possesses capacity to
commission a piece of original research, and can provide a detailed account for how a
program or project evaluation should be structured within the context of a specific
program or project.
I intend to demonstrate my ability to provide analysis of a situation using both
quantitative and qualitative measures, as well as my ability to provide evaluation within
the context of that research, with the submission of an Organizational Cultural Analysis that
I wrote for PA 302 Organizational Theory and Behavior. The objective of this assignment
was to assess the culture of any organization. Many of us chose organizations to which
were close and with whom we had good relationships. For many of us in the class, myself
included, this meant writing about our employers. Though I was not working for an agency
of Public Administration at that time, I was able to employ relevant research methods and
ideas to form a comprehensive analysis of the organization's culture. I relied on two
primary data sources to conduct my analysis: interviews and surveys, the findings from
both of which can be found the paper's appendices.
The interviews served as a qualitative tool for looking at organizational attitudes,
norms, and values. I selected my interviewees, whose names have been changed for
confidentiality, strategically, in the hopes that I could achieve a cross-section of age,
experience, and level of responsibility within the company. The surveys represented a
quantitative measure of the organization's culture. The surveys were entirely voluntary
and offered to everyone in the company. I utilized a website called Survey Monkey, which

made the survey easily accessible and provided me with helpful graphical representations
of the data when the survey was complete. For both the interviews and the surveys, I relied
on the course materials to design questions that would best illuminate the organizational
culture for me.
I developed the skills necessary to commission an original piece of research in EDFS
209 Intro to Research Methods. This class's primary output was a research proposal. We
were held to realistic standards for practice and, though I did not submit my work for a
research grant, some of my classmates did. In this class, we learned about factors which
must be taken into consideration at the onset of a research project: ethics, existing
research, methodology, and limitations to name a few. All of these were incorporated in my
final submission. I wrote about the development of social capital in an online environment
as it related to service organizations, paying specific attention to Rotary International and
The Lions Club. I developed a plan to conduct interviews with traditional club members, as
well as online club members, to attend meetings or equivalent in both environments, and to
review philanthropic and community involvement for both formats. Because I was not able
to find quality research about how online social capital relates to service organizations in
particular, I relied instead on similar research in the field of education to inform my
hypothesis. When I began the process, I was certain that my hypothesis would be that an
online environment cannot be as effective as a live, face-to-face one. The research I found,
however, contradicted that, so ultimately and very much to my surprise, I submitted a
research proposal with the hypothesis that an online club could have the same, if not
better, capacity to foster the development of social capital. The process taught me about
careful literature review, trying to see the whole picture, and recognizing my own

limitations and biases as a researcher. I created a posted to accompany this research
proposal for presentation at the University of Vermont Student Research Conference for
my Public Administration Capstone.
All of these pieces demonstrated my ability to commission a piece of original
research and provide a detailed account for how a program or project evaluation project
should be structured within specific contexts.

Competency 3b. Capacity to initiate strategic planning, and apply organizational
learning & development principles
Rachel Zellem
 Appendix L
Organizational Cultural Analysis of Kaufman & Presber Financial Planning
PA 302 Organizational Theory & Behavior
Self Assessment
Score: ____3____
Can demonstrate a knowledge of one or more strategic planning processes or
techniques along with an explanation for how, where and why they should be used. Can
conduct an analysis of an organization’s culture and can identify opportunity for
development and promotion of organizational learning opportunities via re-engineered
performance evaluations, ongoing professional development, and evolved uses of
information technology and meeting protocols.
Score: _________

Competency 3b.
Capacity to initiate strategic planning, and apply organizational learning &
development principles
My Organizational Cultural Analysis of Kaufman & Presber Financial Planning (a
pseudonym for a local organization who wished to be kept anonymous in this paper)
provides evidence that I can demonstrate a knowledge of one or more strategic planning
processes or techniques along with an explanation for how, where and why they should be
used. This work shows how I conduct an analysis of an organization’s culture and can
identify opportunity for development and promotion of organizational learning
opportunities via re-engineered performance evaluations, ongoing professional
development, and evolved uses of information technology and meeting protocols.
I worked for Kaufman & Presber Financial Planning (KPFP) for one year, leaving
shortly before writing this paper because of school-related conflicts. KPFP was a dynamic
and high-energy company, very unlike other places I had worked. By and large, I
considered them a good employer, but it had some obvious organizational flaws which
permeated general attitudes and functionality of the office. I saw this assignment as an
opportunity to explore the strengths and weaknesses of KPFP.
The weaknesses, which I outline in the paper, are rooted in the company's history
and its strange growth over time. What began as an insurance company in the 1820s had
grown into three separate entities: an insurance company, a real estate agency, and a
financial planning office by the time I joined them. Within the financial planning office,
where I was employed, there were three subdivisions in the form of different business
lines. Personal financial planning, life insurance, and employer group benefits all operated

as one organization in the Kaufman & Presber family, but the work the teams did there was
kept very separate.
That division had strange and negative implications for the office. Confusion about
shared resources, such as office equipment, space, and even certain staff, was prevalent and
sometimes resulted in bitterness between and among members of different groups. My
cultural analysis explored that divisive nature, as well as the organization's many
strengths. A high level of collective intelligence, shared commitment to community
wellness, and a culture of fun and unique team-building efforts lent KPFP a very special
sort of charm. People were generally happy to work there, despite occasional conflicts.
My OCA sought to propose subtle changes which would minimize the "silo effect",
break down barriers to communication, and emphasize the organization's uniquely
wonderful qualities. I did this by conducting personal interviews and anonymous surveys,
and using that data to determine what people agreed to be the organization's greatest
strengths and weaknesses. My suggestions were subtle, but realistic, and I believe that they
would make a significant difference in the way KPFP operates.
I submitted my OCA to KPFP when it was complete, but because I was no longer
working there, I do not if it was used in any way, but I consider my strategic planning
processes and techniques to be of value. I conducted an analysis of the organization’s
culture and can identified opportunity for its development and promotion of organizational
learning opportunities via re-engineered performance evaluations, ongoing professional
development, and evolved uses of information technology and meeting protocols.

Competency 3c. Capacity to apply sound performance measurement & management
practices
Rachel Zellem
 Appendix O
News Blog: Candid Criticism for Fed
 Appendix P
Summative Assessment: Candid Criticism for the Fed
 Appendix Q
A Lack of Internal Control at a Charter School in Pittsburgh
 Appendix R
Case 59: Email Responses
PA 395 Human Resource Management
Self Assessment
Score: ___3____
Can identify and analyze performance management systems, needs and emerging
opportunities within a specific organization or network.
Score: _________

Competency 3c.
Capacity to apply sound performance measurement and management practices
Throughout the MPA program, I found various opportunities to identify and analyze
performance management systems, needs, and emerging opportunities within specific
organizations or networks. These opportunities came in the form of class discussion of
current events, as well as case studies.
In Foundations of Public Administration, we were asked to identify current events
in the news that were relevant to the area of PA study about which we were reading in a
given week. Using the article, we would first write a News Blog, which would be discussed
with our colleagues in class, and after the discussion, we would complete a Summative
Assessment. When we were studying performance indicators, I happened upon an article in
the New York Times about a public disagreement between Ben Bernanke, who was, at that
time, nearing the end of his second and final four-year term as Chairman of the Federal
Reserve, and Lawrence Summers, a renowned economist. Summers criticized Bernanke's
monetary policy, citing high rates of unemployment, major student debt, and historically
low interest rates. Bernanke countered that, taken out of context, none of these measures
could be considered valid performance indicators for the economy as a whole. The article
was not only appropriate for the topic at hand, but extremely interesting to me, as it
demonstrated how even two of the most knowledgeable experts in a given field can look at
identical data sets and draw different conclusions from them.
What I took away from this article is the notion that performance measurement is
very often more of an art than a science. Even when looking at pure data, such as
unemployment and interest rates, emphasis can be subjectively placed to skew the

resulting analysis of a particular performance. This makes the concept of sound
performance measurement standards a little more complicated than they initially appear. A
public administrator will do well to look at a given problem as objectively as he or she can,
and further strengthen his or her analysis by engaging partners and colleagues who can
offer contradictory perspectives as the analysis takes place.
Indeed, biased viewpoints can endanger an organization's performance
management system, but unfortunately skewed measures of performance are not always
so innocent. For my Budgeting class, I wrote about a charter school in Pittsburgh that had
recently come under fire for a lack of sound internal control. The CEO of Urban Pathways
Charter School had recently been exposed for charging $13,000 at restaurants to her
corporate credit card in only one year. The school receives much of its budget from the
state of Pennsylvania, but the CEO felt it was her responsibility to court donors in order to
make up the gap, hence the outlandish credit card charges. Furthermore, members of the
board were receiving bizarre monetary perks for the participation, including catered
lunches, free phones, and two-week retreats at nice resorts, all paid for by the school.
I use my assessment of this article as evidence for my performance measurement
competency, because I think it highlights just how easy it can be for members of an
organization to intentionally skew the standards against which they measure their
behavior. It was almost certainly not necessary for the CEO to treat donors to outlandishly
expensive dinners, but she and her leadership allowed it because they were able to shift the
paradigm. They justified frivolous spending for the board, no doubt convincing themselves
somehow that it was a valuable investment in leadership.

I further submit work from my Human Resource Management class, wherein I read
a case study about the challenges an HR Manager of an organization encounters when
employee evaluations are given. This is an example of performance management in action
with which almost everyone is familiar, but it is important to consider the process from all
angles. The issues I read and the corresponding emails I wrote in reply demonstrate that
employee performance evaluation can present a challenge for the employee, the manager,
and the organization. Information shared in these evaluations is delicate, confidential, and
sometimes deeply personal. While it is absolutely necessary for an organization to employ
a system of employee performance management, it is equally essential that it is done
tactfully and precisely according to defined policies so as to avoid hurtful and even legally
destructive consequences.
Performance measures, as I have demonstrated here, are highly subjective and
therefore surprisingly challenging to define. Despite the adage that numbers don't lie,
numbers can be used in a variety of ways to tell almost any story that an administrator
wants to tell. Bearing that in mind, a system that includes clearly defined standards of
measurement, and multiple checks and balances is most advised. As I considered these
challenges in the evidence submitted here, I learned to identify and analyze performance
management systems, needs and emerging opportunities within a specific organization or
network.

Competency 3d. Capacity to apply sound financial planning & fiscal responsibility
Rachel Zellem
 Appendix B
Budgeting and the Planning Process for a Non Profit Theater
 Appendix T
The United Way of Chittenden County: A Budgetary Analysis
 Appendix U
Overhead Stigma's Impact on Human Resource Management
PA 395 Human Resource Management Final Paper
Self Assessment
Score: ___3____
Can identify and analyze financial management systems, needs and emerging
opportunities within a specific organization or network.
Score: _________

Competency 3d.
Capacity to apply sound financial planning & fiscal responsibility
My experience in the MPA program equipped me with the skills and provided me
with direct experience to identify and analyze financial management systems, needs, and
emerging opportunities within specific organizations or networks. I will detail that in the
three specific examples that follow.
I'll be the first to admit that I dreaded taking the Budgeting class that is a core
requirement of this MPA program. The thought of staring at pages and pages of
meaningless numbers was so daunting that I tried to convince myself it wasn't even
worthwhile. I was more surprised than anyone, then, when Budgeting wound up being one
of my all-time favorite classes. I learned that understanding an organization's budget,
which wasn't nearly as dry or as difficult as I had anticipated, is perhaps the most effective
way to understand the organization as a whole. Its mission, its values, and its strategies
unfold before a practitioner's eyes as he or she analyzes its financial inputs and outputs.
In our weekly reading responses, our instructor challenged us to apply the
knowledge we were gaining to our own experiences. This concerned me because I came
into this program with so little experience in the field of Public Administration. As I began
to dig into the material, however, I realized that much of it sounded familiar. When I read
about the budgeting and planning process, I was reminded of my time on the Board of
Directors for a local nonprofit theater in my hometown in Pennsylvania. When I joined the
board in 2008, the theater was just beginning to grasp the severity of its financial situation.
At the time, however, I did understand how to read a budget, and I sat quietly by as my
colleagues discussed possible solutions. The theater had long relied on three primary
streams of revenue: ticket sales, philanthropic giving, and fundraising events. Sadly,

because of the economic downturn, all three of these elements were jeopardized. I
participated in the process of re-evaluation revenue sources: changing ticket pricing and
redesigning the organization's primary annual fundraising event, but it did not change the
situation.
When we realized we could not increase revenue, we had to decide on the only
alternative course of action, which was to cut spending. We abbreviated the theater season
drastically, cutting down on the expense of keeping the house open and filling more seats
per show than in seasons past. We hired a third-party consultant to help us through the
financial crisis. After a long process that included carefully evaluating the changing nature
of our revenue sources, thinking critically about our expenditures, and applying a stricter
accountability framework for our staff, the theater became profitable again. To have been a
part of it was an extremely educational experience for me.
My final paper for the Budgeting class was an analysis of the United Way of
Chittenden County. I chose to write about the United Way because it intrigued me. I knew
people who were passionate supporters of it and yet I didn't fully understand its mission. I
feel I made the right choice in writing about the United Way because not only to I develop a
comprehension of the organization, I also became a supporter. I do not intend to rewrite
my analysis of the organization here, but I will say that I developed important insights to
the organization. I learned how it engages the entire community to generate revenue, and
how it mobilizes monetary and volunteer resources to make broad changes that have a
significant impact on the community. I was lucky enough to interview the Executive
Director as part of this project, and I believe that if I had simply asked "What does the
United Way do?" I would have remained somewhat in the dark. The organization and its

strategies are so complex that learning the intricacies of the budget, like its robust
community fundraising campaign each year, and the diverse catalog of programs and
funded partners it engages in order to fulfill its mission, was the best possible way for me
to learn what I wanted to know.
My third piece of evidence was a product of my Human Resource Management class.
For my final paper, I was asked to research a major challenge in Human Resources. It was
so open-ended that I struggled at first to find a topic. Ultimately I settled on the stigma of
overhead expenses in the nonprofit sector and the implications they can have on human
resources. There is significant pressure on nonprofit organizations to keep overhead
expenses low. Unfortunately, many personnel expenses fall under the overhead category,
which is why extremely talented people are often underpaid in the nonprofit sector. I
looked at an organization in Vermont, the Vermont Immigration and Asylum Advocates
(VIAA), which had recently shut its doors. I argued that one of the reasons it had to close
was because it could not afford to pay its very small and very highly skilled team enough
money. In an effort to keep overhead low and money strictly on programming, VIAA cut a
lot of important corners. The associate director of the organization, who also served as a
staff attorney, was only earning $35,840, left for a higher paying job, and the organization
was unable to find another suitable candidate who would work for such a small budget. I
grant that there were many budgetary factors contributing to VIAA's ultimate inability to
stay open. When an organization like VIAA tries to operate on only $107,000 per year,
overhead is naturally going to be high, and little can be done about it. I offer this as
evidence for my financial planning and fiscal responsibility competency because it was a

powerful, in-depth look at a valuable organization with major budgetary challenges that,
sadly, lacked the means to effectively overcome them.

Competency 4a. Capacity to understand the value of authentic citizen participation in
PA practice
Rachel Zellem
 Appendix V
Method in Action: Focus Groups
PA 326 Community & Economic Development
 Appendix W
If Potato Salad Can Do It, Why Can't We? How Nonprofits Can Use Online
Crowdfunding to Engage Millennial Donors
PA 395 Nonprofit Governance & Development
 Appendix X
Response: Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards
PA 395 Nonprofit Governance & Development
Self Assessment
Score: ____3____
Possesses the capacity to describe how citizen participation can be undertaken within an
authentic way that improves the democratic accountability of an organization or network.
Score: _________

Competency 4a.
Capacity to understand the value of authentic citizen participation in PA practice.
Throughout my studies, I have encountered multiple variations of authentic citizen
participation which improves the democratic accountability of organizations and networks.
The following evidence demonstrates some of these.
In Community and Economic Development, I was tasked with the challenge of
examining an action tool utilized by community and economic leaders as they try to
address problems and make change. Citizen participation has always been a topic of
interest to me, so I chose focus groups, because they are a method that give citizens a
chance to share their thoughts and concerns about a particular subject. While focus groups
can be used by social and behavioral scientists, they also serve policy makers and public
administrators. Because focus group participants will likely represent varied and diverse
viewpoints, the conversations that happen therein are likely to be dynamic and full of ideas
and information.
I came to understand, as I explored the literature about focus groups as a
community action tool, that they are an effective means of giving citizens a voice.
Moderators are likely to observe participants learning from one another, as new thoughts
and ideas begin to emerge. I believe this is a form of citizen participation because members
of a focus group not only have the opportunity to be heard by decision makers, but also by
their peers within the community. Furthermore, participation in a particularly interesting
focus group may inspire citizens to remain involved with the issue, and perhaps even
become an advocate of some sort.
My second piece of evidence is a study of online crowdfunding, and how it can be an
effective means by which nonprofit organizations can motivate younger citizens to become

financially involved with their missions. The nonprofit sector has had to learn to adapt to a
whole new set of donors and volunteers in the emerging Millennial generation, and I
contend that online crowdfunding is a method that appeals to key Millennial values. It
employs social media and the capacity for individuals to influence one another, rather than
the business-to-consumer attitude that had been so effective with their parents'
generation.
I believe that this evidence supports my competency of citizen participation, not
only because financial support is, in itself, a form of citizen participation, but also because
crowdfunding is means by which organizations can introduce citizens to the social issues
their mission and the issues they represent, and meanwhile potentially build lasting
relationships with them. I contend that people must carefully select the organizations and
issues to which they are willing to dedicate their finite time and resources. Any strategy
that an organization can use to demonstrate its importance and capacity to do good should
be embraced with the hope that long-term, authentic citizen participation may occur.
Perhaps one of the most truly authentic means of citizen participation in the
nonprofit sector is membership on a Board of Directors. In Nonprofit Governance and
Development, I read a handbook called Ten Basic Responsibilities for Nonprofit Boards. The
publication explored the level of commitment and individual makes when he or she
chooses to sit on a Board. Among the activities described here, some truly resonated with
me as an example of meaningful participation. A Board is responsible for the selection and
appointment of an organization's Executive Director. Recruitment of staff, particularly
executive staff, is time-consuming and arduous. Another critical role of a Board member is
to ensure resources. This means that he must be prepared to either donate generously,

fundraise actively, or, preferably, both. A Board member must be engaged in the
organization's mission in order to make such a commitment. Board members must also
recognize the role they play in enhancing the organization's public standing. They must
advocate for the organization as a spokesperson would. A board member may be
approached by friends, other local organizations, or even the media and asked to speak
about the nonprofit he represents, and he should be prepared to do so passionately and
sincerely. Finally, board members have active oversight in the organization's programming
and administration. This requires some expertise in the field within which the organization
serves, as well as an openness to new ideas and valuable oversight.
Citizen participation is an essential element in public administration. Here, I have
described examples within which authentic participation has improved the democratic
accountability of an organization or network.

Competency 4b. Capacity to understand the value of social & economic equity in PA
practices
Rachel Zellem
 Appendix Y
Working Bridges: A Humanistic Approach to Investing in the Workforce
PA 326 Community & Economic Development
 Appendix Z
Case Study: Seattle Community Association
Self Assessment
Score: ___3____
Possesses the capacity to describe and analyze social and economic equity/inequity
within specific contexts. Can offer suggestion for ways of improving inequitable situations.
Score: _________

R. Zellem Capstone Portfolio

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