Presidential Management Fellows Program selects 3 MPA ESP students as finalists

Three students from the MPA program in Environmental Science and Policy (MPA-ESP) have been selected as finalists for the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program. The students, Matthew Gray, Kristin Heinen, and Nicole Lukehart, who will graduate in May 2006, have all demonstrated a commitment to public service and to the environment.

The PMF program attracts qualified individuals from a variety of academic backgrounds who are committed to careers in the analysis and management of public policies and programs. The program trains students to play leadership roles in the Federal service and prepares them to meet the future of public needs.

"[The program] is one of the best opportunities to understand how a particular sector of the Federal Government works," said Heinen. She emphasized the program's flexibility and varied work possibilities. "If you are committed to civil service, it offers the chance to explore multiple agencies and divisions through multiple rotations over a two-year period." Gray believes that policy-making at the national level needs a greater environmental perspective. "The PMF represents one of the best avenues for making this goal a reality."

The three students first applied in October and then underwent an intense semi-finalist round which involved an all-day interview and an individual oral presentation. Though all three come from different work and academic experiences, their interests have converged around a commitment to environmental protection. "I believe most of us in the MPA-ESP program share a common view that environmental issues are still underrepresented within education, business, and public policy debates," said Gray.

A graduate of the University of Pittsburg with a B.S.E. in Industrial Engineering and a B.A. in Anthropology, Gray came to the MPA-ESP program with a range of field experience in environmental conservation. "My experiences studying the natural sciences, working with high school students to build trails, and simply taking long strolls through the park have all led to my focus on the environment." He hopes to utilize his environmental knowledge by working for the Department of Energy, the United States Agency for International Development, or the Environmental Protection Agency.

Heinen believes that her previous internships with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington D.C. and with the California State Environmental Protection Agency helped prepare her for the PMF program. According to Heinen, these programs introduced her to a range of management, programming and policy issues and opportunities in the public sector. She also emphasized her multi-disciplinary academic background. "I have a B.S. in Environmental Design and a B.A. in Communications from UC-Davis and am now working on a MPA-ESP degree from Columbia, all of which have given me tools in science, policy and management to use as a PMF."

Raised in Anchoarge, Alaska, at a young age Lukehart witnessed the negative environmental impacts caused by her city's rapid development. As an undergraduate at Brandeis University, Lukehart realized the importance of and connection between public policy, environmental science, and economic politics through a case-study of environmental justice in Roxbury, MA. She has also worked at the Conservation Law Foundation and the National Audubon Society, but she emphasized how the MPA-ESP program prepared her for the PMF application and interview.

"I have obtained extensive briefing experience through [the MPA-ESP] program and was able to quickly organize my thoughts for the oral presentation," said Lukehart. "Our courses in public management trained us to write memos and clearly and succinctly make recommendations."

"This program has given us the tools necessary to be effective public managers, and now it is up to us to put them into practice as PMF's and in our future [environmental] careers." Heinen emphasized the long-term skills she has obtained through the MPA-ESP program. "Particularly we have learned how to communicate science to non-scientists, how to implement environmental policy through efficient programming, financial planning, public management, leadership and teamwork."

The PMF applicant pool is difficult and the process demanding, but the diverse experiences of these three students and their commitment to environmental policy and public service ensured a competitive candidacy. All three plan to continue in the environmental field after the PMF program. Said Lukehart, "I feel it is critical now more than ever that our country has individuals who are well-trained in devising creative and innovative solutions to complex environmental problems."

While the PMF may only represent a short-term step in their environmental careers, Gray is aware of the long-term implications of their work. "Simply stated," said Gray, "serving the public goes beyond representation of the current generation, but also to those that follow. Environmental policy and management is so interesting because it forces the public and politicians alike to think about new issues in an entirely new way."