Being an MPA Student During COVID 19
COVID 19 was a term that very few people, if any, knew. Since then the world has been turned upside down. Everyone from the President of the United States to local non-profits have drastically changed daily operations as an attempt to stop the spread of the virus. The MPA program is all about learning how government and nonprofits work, good practices, and more. Typically, our focus is on issues local communities are facing. Having a global pandemic gives us an unique case to study. Which is why it is a great time to see how organizations are handling and implementing measures. We can learn a lot from the individuals/organizations who have lead the way during this pandemic.
On a state level, Ohio has been a nationwide leader in fast acting decisions and working to keep individuals safe. Politics aside, Governor DeWine has kept individuals safe and has worked diligently to stop the spread of COVID 19. His ability to inform the public by setting a schedule for all updates, answering questions thoroughly, and relying on a team of experts in the health/medical field has been great. In Kentucky, Governor Beshear has also done a great job. For only being in office for a couple months, Governor Beshear does not have the same experience as Governor DeWine. For that reason, I think Governor Beshear is being a great leader and putting worth a strong effort to protect Kentuckians. Everyone makes mistakes, and these governors are not exempt from this, but during all the chaos they are doing pretty good.
Nonprofits are greatly affected during this time. Many of organizations are often on a tight budget and rely heavily on donations. With so many people being laid off and social distancing, the number of donations has drastically reduced. Even so, many have done an amazing job at continuing to serve the community. If you are like me, you tend to forget that public universities are nonprofits- including NKU. Many universities implemented mandates before NKU did, but this should not define the great leadership NKU has provided during this time. The university has informed students about transitioning classes from in-person to online, allowed students extensive time and flexibility to move out of dorms, gave prorated refunds to students, and more. While these changes and cancellations has disappointed many, these measures are far and beyond better than many other places of higher education.
This week's blog has been entirely based on my opinion of recent events. I am sure others will disagree, and there are many aspects that I have not thought about. What I hope you take away from this post is to pay attention to our leaders, analyze how things are being handled, and use the lessons we learn during this time to better our futures as MPA leaders.
On a state level, Ohio has been a nationwide leader in fast acting decisions and working to keep individuals safe. Politics aside, Governor DeWine has kept individuals safe and has worked diligently to stop the spread of COVID 19. His ability to inform the public by setting a schedule for all updates, answering questions thoroughly, and relying on a team of experts in the health/medical field has been great. In Kentucky, Governor Beshear has also done a great job. For only being in office for a couple months, Governor Beshear does not have the same experience as Governor DeWine. For that reason, I think Governor Beshear is being a great leader and putting worth a strong effort to protect Kentuckians. Everyone makes mistakes, and these governors are not exempt from this, but during all the chaos they are doing pretty good.
Nonprofits are greatly affected during this time. Many of organizations are often on a tight budget and rely heavily on donations. With so many people being laid off and social distancing, the number of donations has drastically reduced. Even so, many have done an amazing job at continuing to serve the community. If you are like me, you tend to forget that public universities are nonprofits- including NKU. Many universities implemented mandates before NKU did, but this should not define the great leadership NKU has provided during this time. The university has informed students about transitioning classes from in-person to online, allowed students extensive time and flexibility to move out of dorms, gave prorated refunds to students, and more. While these changes and cancellations has disappointed many, these measures are far and beyond better than many other places of higher education.
This week's blog has been entirely based on my opinion of recent events. I am sure others will disagree, and there are many aspects that I have not thought about. What I hope you take away from this post is to pay attention to our leaders, analyze how things are being handled, and use the lessons we learn during this time to better our futures as MPA leaders.
"We must learn from history, or be doomed to repeat it."
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