Meet Jamie Kephart
Jamie Kephart is a Customer Marketing Professional for Barilla America in Northbrook, Illinois. She brings 7 years of professional experience to the program and hopes to transition into a career leveraging the skills from her MPA.
I appreciate that I have the ability to learn from people all around the world, with different backgrounds and experiences.
Tell us a little about your current position.
I currently work for Barilla America as a Customer Marketing Professional. In my current capacity, I work with the sales and finance team as a sales analyst, as well as volunteer my time to an employee-led resource group (ERG) called Balance. As co-chair of Balance, I work to implement social issue awareness by discussing gender inequality issues in the work place and brainstorming ways to foster a sense of community and inclusion in our company. Recently in October, I spearheaded an event at Barilla which discussed the impact of domestic violence on historically oppressed groups.
Why did you choose the SPEA Connect MPA program?
What originally drew me to IU was its #1 ranking in my area of concentration and the flexibility of the nonprofit program through SPEA Connect. Throughout the admissions process, all my interactions with the school were positive, professional, and informative.
One of the determining factors for me in selecting IU is that they offer a diverse list of elective courses that make up the bulk of the program and allow me to shape my MPA program to fit my needs. In addition to being able to mold my education to best fit my career objectives, IU SPEA has an excellent reputation and an array of faculty experts in this area. I felt that IU would be the best fit for me based on my goals and how the program would help me shape them. Having a school that has a great balance of professors from the academic and professional environments will help me grow in my career.
How has the flexibility of the online program helped you to balance all of your responsibilities?
Having the flexibility to balance my readings and coursework throughout the week is essential. I work full-time and am taking two classes, so not having to factor in a commute in addition to my other responsibilities helps me better manage my time and coursework.
What are your main academic/policy areas of interest and what led you to those interests?
The public sector and nonprofit work have always been of interest to me and originated during my time as a political science undergraduate. After graduation, I took a corporate position and though my current role is not directly linked to public policy or nonprofit, I remained interested in these fields and have taken opportunities within my community to get involved with both. I am particularly interested in policy related to the justice system, and in 2014, I had the opportunity to participate in the process of amending an Illinois law. Through my involvement in the process, I was able to experience firsthand, how public policy affects everyday life. I saw that having the right policies in place matters. This experience led me to pursue a formal education in public administration so I could acquire the knowledge and develop the skills necessary to promote substantial change.
Is there anything else you would like prospective students to know about you or your experience in the program?
I appreciate that I have the ability to learn from people all around the world, with different backgrounds and experiences. This undoubtedly contributes to a more diverse learning environment.
I also think there is a misconception that you don’t get as much out of online courses without the classroom experience. However, I think the discussions can sometimes be more robust because of the structure of online learning; you can either respond to a discussion board right away, or for those who need time to read through and digest information, they have adequate time to do so. This can be more conducive for people depending on their learning style.