Pomp and Circumstance
Some of you may have noticed my decreased blogging frequency for the past few weeks. Yesterday, I emailed my final paper to the professor who supervised my independent study. Saturday, I graduate, with a Master of Public Administration degree, emphasis in Nonprofit Management.
I started the program because I worked at UMKC, and thought it might be helpful to get the classroom perspective at the Bloch School. I had no idea how much fun I would have with my fellow students. Debbie, Jim, Jen, Dianna, Mandy, Alex, Tim, Brian, Megan, Katie, Ji-Lyn, and more. Sometimes, we behaved like undergrads, balancing the academic work with plenty of play.
Some of the professors were outstanding, too. Dan Wildcat kicked off my MPA experience with a two hour lecture on the history of Western political thought that blew me away. Others worked hard to fill his shoes - Drs. Renz, Singer, Stallings, Herman, Peroff, McCarther, Baker and Smith were superb.
I'm not claiming that I will necessarily miss having to go to class in the evenings, after a full day of work. I'm pretty sure I won't miss the stress of deadlines. I definitely will appreciate not having the feeling that I should be doing homework when I'm relaxing.
UMKC has warts, and my experiences working and studying there showed me most of the ugliest ones. But I learned a lot, made good friends, and had fun. Looking back at it all this morning, I'm thankful to be done, and thankful to those who made the experience what it was.
posted by Dan at 5/04/2006 06:30:00 AM
15 Comments:
Congratulations!! I'm soo very genuinely (jealous) excited for you!! That's such a great feeling. I'm proud of you!!
Congrats Congrats Congrats!
I wish I were getting a graduate degree instead of a second undergrad (so I felt like I was actually accomplishing something).
Good job, I'm guess from your final paragraph and doctorate's note in your future? ;-)
Good job, Master Dan, and congratuations.
One quick question, tho: Is is still a "paper" if you emailed it to the professor?
Congratulations, Dan. Will be a challenging career in this day of one disaster after another and so many needs. Of course there are many types of nonprofits and I don't know what you're involved in, but in general I'm very wary of "giving" in general due to the waste and/or fraudulent practices of so many non-profits. Hopefully, people like you can restore that trust.
cd ;)
Congratulations!!!!! I knew you were in school, just wasn't sure what for, good job you! I just sent out the last of the invites for my associates in June. lol Well, have fun, and make sure you celebrate in true Master style!!
cd ;)
Congratulations!!!!! I knew you were in school, just wasn't sure what for, good job you! I just sent out the last of the invites for my associates in June. lol Well, have fun, and make sure you celebrate in true Master style!!
Many congrats, Dan!
Congratulations. I'm on a similar journey but still face two years of suffering.
Now get back to work dispersing the truth.
Congratulations!!!
Our political differences aside, I wish you the very best in your future and your career. Based on just the short time I have interacted with you, I am confident you will bring integrity and zealous advocacy wherever you go, and will be an asset.
I know that sounds like a Hallmark card, but I mean every word. Way to go.
Add one more Congratulations from me!!! Good work man, look forward to more posts from "Master Dan."
Congratulations! Makes me think I should be doing the same thing, in my spare time!
Congratulations!
You're a better man than I.
Congratulations, Dan. Nothing is more surely savored than a hard-won degree earned while working full time. I know the sacrifices you had to make to do this, and you have a great deal to be proud of.
So, when will you become the City Manager of Dallas? :-)
Thanks to all the well-wishers!
In response to comments - no doctorate in the foreseeable future.
Emaw - Good point, and one I hadn't thought of. Language needs to catch up with technology. Do I talk to my kids when I IM them? Maybe there's room for a Master's thesis in English there . . .
Travelingal - first off, let me say I'm glad you're still around after we got a little too close to Conservative Christian bashing. That never was my intention. But, regarding the relative trustworthiness of the sectors, you raise a fascinating point. We in America trust for-profit entities like Enron and insurance companies, but have an innate distrust of nonprofits and governmental agencies that is justified mostly anecdotally. May be a future blog post in that . . .
La - your hands are already full! (Though a class is a good excuse to get out one night a week . . .)
Anti-M - Dallas?! You guys down there shoot democrats! Besides, Bryant's is better than Bryan's.
Dan..actually what you said is very thought provoking. Here I am expressing my distrust of nonprofits yet put my trust in insurance companies and corporations every day. Will be a great blog/post some day. Actually I worked for a drug company for years (still consult) and in doing so worked with the government (FDA) for many years through both republican and democrat administrations and I think they get a bum rap via the media when adverse drug events hit the newswaves. They care very much about approving drugs that are both safe and effective but sometimes things are unanticipated despite all the testing that is done. I could go on and on but I think you get my point. The media is more powerful in influencing public opinion than any drug company, nonprofit or governmental agency.
Once again, congrats, and I'll look forward to future discussions.
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