Zack Surmacz came to Portland State University after a formative experience in the Oregon State Legislature, where he saw firsthand how PSU graduates were shaping policy and driving progress in Oregon. Inspired by their leadership, Surmacz chose PSU’s Master of Public Policy program to deepen his commitment to public service. Over the past two years, he’s been an engaged student leader, an advocate for community connection and a powerful voice for change. As he graduates, Surmacz is setting his sights on federal government service — and preparing to build a more just, equitable future.
Inside Portland State: What was your journey to Portland State?
Surmacz: I worked in the Oregon State Legislature in 2023 as a legislative staffer. During the 2023 long session, I met lobbyists, advocates, agency experts and other staffers who had graduated from PSU's College of Urban and Public Affairs. I found this to be really inspiring because it showed me that PSU's graduate programs were leading to direct results in Oregon. We frequently talk about workforce development and building the next generation of policy leaders, so it was really exciting to see firsthand how PSU explicitly contributed to thought leadership and policy making in our communities. When my position ended in the legislature, I applied for a role in Senator Merkley's office and applied for graduate school at PSU to have multiple options as my career progressed. When I found out that I did not get selected for the job in Merkley's office, I dove head first into PSU's Master of Public Policy program and am so grateful that it worked out this way.
Inside Portland State: What will you miss most?
Surmacz: PSU is a special place. There is a vibrant and diverse community of students, faculty and staff. The school sits in the middle of the largest and most economically active city in Oregon. I feel like the school is always alive and there is always something interesting happening. I am so grateful for the life that I had at PSU. I lived near campus for the entire two years of my program and this allowed me to walk through the beautiful campus to class, participate in student groups, attend amazing cultural events and build strong relationships with my cohort, my professors and the administration. College is a special time and the joy, excitement, engagement and intellectual rigor of the PSU community is something that will be hard to leave behind.
Inside Portland State: Can you share a memory that stands out for you when you think about your time at PSU?
Surmacz: There are SO many. I genuinely mean that. I can share one that was really special for my heart. I joined the community choir in the first year of my graduate program. It was a free class that was open to all and for the entire term, we met once a week to practice about three or four songs until our final performance at the end of the term in the St. James Lutheran Church on the Park Blocks. What was so special about this memory was the fact that there was no one from my program or even from my college in the community choir. I was surrounded by kind, happy, caring people from the PSU community that I would not have otherwise met, and we all came together for the love of signing. And, I was so grateful to have a few of our practice sessions taught by the marvelous Professor Coty Raven Morris. Her leadership, creativity and love for teaching were incredible to experience first hand.
Inside Portland State: Is there a professor or class that was especially impactful for you?
Surmacz: Dr. Kevin Kecskes, Chair of the Department of Public Administration, full stop. This man has changed my life forever for the better. I am tearing up because of how meaningfully and powerfully this man impacted my experience as a graduate student. There are no better words to describe him than "the perfect role model." Dr. Kecskes has shown me what it looks like to live with grace, leadership, kindness, respect, wisdom, collaboration and humility. I cannot express in words how happy I am that we crossed paths and how honored I am to call him a mentor and a friend.
Inside Portland State: As you get ready to graduate, how do you think your work or experiences have made a difference in our community?
Surmacz: I would like to think that I left PSU a better place than I found it. As a member of ASPSU for a full year, I felt like our team — led by the amazing Brady Roland and Rowan Bean — really built a lot of infrastructure for how students engage with their student government. I think more and more students are being connected to both each other and to the student government because of how intentional and committed our team was to listening and supporting PSU students. Furthermore, I participated in the CUPA Dean Search Committee and helped interview and provide feedback for all five dean candidates that the college interviewed. When President Cudd announced that Jeremy Youde was given the position (who was my, and many other interviewers, number one choice), I felt like I had a direct voice in the future of CUPA and how it will serve students and Portland going forward.
Inside Portland State: What kind of impact do you hope to make in the future?
Surmacz: This sounds so cheesy, but I simply hope to leave the world a better place than the one I have lived in. Humanity faces so many difficulties, and some of these are totally out of our control. However, at this moment, we are more technologically advanced, more educated and more connected than at any other point in history. And certain challenges, like access to healthcare, education, housing, food, water and a clean and safe environment are 100% in humanity's control. I sincerely hope to work every day to feed the hungry, house the unsheltered, heal the sick, educate the underserved and create a civilization that honors the dignities and rights of every human being to a life worth living.
Inside Portland State: Any advice for current and future PSU students?
Surmacz: Go outside. Sit on the Park Blocks. Join a club. Spend extra time with your professors. Have fun. Find people to study with. Go to events and shows and museums and gatherings and protests. Ask hard questions, in a respectful way, of everyone. Call your loved ones frequently. Make friends and share your feelings, thoughts and ideas with them. Don't be afraid to be exactly who you are. There will be many hard days. Push through — it will make you stronger and it will be worth it.