A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dear Hatfield School Community,
Spring quarter is flying by, and we are nearing the end of the 2023-2024 academic year. There is so much to celebrate in the coming weeks and months, and it is my privilege and joy as the Director of the Hatfield School to share some of the outstanding achievements and accomplishments of our incredible students, alumni, faculty and staff. They continue to represent who we are as a Hatfield School community.
I would also like to acknowledge the period of unrest that our larger Portland State community has experienced in recent weeks. We at the Hatfield School, support President Ann Cudd’s statement that “although we must and we do defend the rights of free speech and academic freedom, we can not tolerate violence or hate of any kind. We stand up strongly against antisemitism, Islamophobia and Anti-Arab and Anti-Palestinian hate. As president of this unique and precious university, it is vital that we not condone or accept the embrace of vile messages that so deeply wound members of our community” (President’s email message to the community, May 7, 2024).
We postponed the Public Service Recognition Ceremony, that was scheduled for May 11, 2024. This event is meant to celebrate public service and foster a constructive conversation about its future—and we look forward to gathering at a future date.
In the midst of the chaos and uncertainty around the world, it is more important than ever that we come together in our efforts to find peaceful and collaborative solutions. In our small but important community here at the Hatfield School, we will continue to do just that.
Wishing you and your loved ones a bright beginning to the summer months, and a warm congratulations on the successful end of another academic year.
Sincerely,
Masami Nishishiba, Ph.D.
Director, Mark O. Hatfield School of Government
HATFIELD SCHOOL UPDATES AND EVENTS
FACULTY AND STAFF
Dr. Paul Manson, Research Assistant Professor at the Center for Public Service, and his colleagues was awarded a $175,000 grant from the Democracy Fund.. This grant funding will support the design, administration, analysis, and dissemination of findings from the sixth survey of Local Elected Officials (LEO Survey), a project created in partnership between the Elections and Voting Information Center at Reed College and Portland State University’s Center for Public Service.
Dr. Birol Yesilada, Director of Mark O. Hatfield Cybersecurity & Cyber Defense Policy Center and professor of Politics and Global Affairs at the Hatfield School, is the recipient of Portland State University’s Presidential Career Research Award. This award recognizes the career contributions of senior research faculty, and is the most prestigious research award offered at PSU. Congratulations, Dr. Yesilada!
Dr. Lindsay Benstead, Director of the Middle East Studies Center (MESC) and Professor of Politics and Global Affairs is named as the Researcher of the Year at the College of Urban and Public Affairs. Dr. Benstead has conducted surveys in multiple countries in the Middle East and contributes to the Transitional Governance Project. Her research focuses on identity politics, politics and gender, public opinion, and survey methodology and it has appeared in various academic journals throughout her career. Congratulations, Dr. Benstead, on this outstanding achievement!
Dr. Shane Day, Associate Professor of Public Administration, was awarded the American Political Science Association’s Congressional Fellowship for the 2024-2025 academic year. The nine-month program begins each November with an intensive one-month introduction to Congress, after which fellows work in placements of their choosing with an individual senator or congressman’s staff or a standing committee in the Senate or the House. Fellows also participate in a variety of additional professional development activities. Dr. Day is the first faculty member from an Oregon public university to participate in this program, which inaugurated its first class of fellows in 1953. Among other activities, he plans to use this opportunity to develop new contacts and to maintain existing networks for the Hatfield School’s National Policy Profess course, which he will teach beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.
PUBLICATIONS
Dr. Frankline Muthomi just published “Perceived Values of Public Participation Practices in Budgeting: Insights From Incorporated Local Governments in Oregon” in State and Local Government Review. Dr. Muthomi’s research offers insights into how local officials value different participatory procedures used to inform and invite the public to participation activities, and participatory mechanisms used to solicit public input during decision-making processes. You can view Dr. Muthomi’s work here.
Dr. Rafeel Wasif recently published "Navigating identity through social media: Twitter use of Muslim-American nonprofits." This study examines the social media activity of the Muslim-American nonprofit sector and finds that Muslim-American nonprofits use social media not only for information, community, and action messaging, but also to encourage religious practices and advocate for Muslim rights. You can view Dr. Wasif's work here.
STUDENTS
Zach Surmacz, who is finishing his first year in the Master’s of Public Policy (MPP) program at the Hatfield School with the specialization was awarded the Boren Fellowship that provides him with an opportunity to enhance his international experience while still in graduate school. Zack will be in Taiwan for six months in intensive Mandarin language courses and will return to PSU to finish his Master’s degree. After graduation, Zach hopes to work for the U.S. federal government or for an international NGO.
Diane Odeh, a Ph.D. student at the Hatfield School, was selected as one of the fellows for the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) Founders’ Fellows program. With only 21 graduate students selected from over a 100 applicants, this is one of the most competitive programs that supports the next generation of public service leaders. As part of the ASPA Fellows program, Diane has presented at the ASPA annual conference on youth civic engagement in a post-2020 world. Diane is also serving as the president of the ASPA Cascade Chapter, which covers all of Oregon and southwest Washington.
PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
The National Policy Consensus Center within the Hatfield School is hosting the annual University Network for Collaborative Governance (UNCG) conference June 20-22, 2024. This conference will bring UNCG members and friends together to engage in a lively discussion about collaborative governance’s roots and potential future growth. Hosting in Oregon will also allow attendees to share how collaborative governance has evolved and grown through on-the-ground efforts. The UNCG conference is open to all people interested in collaborative governance in connection with a college or university. Proposals should connect to efforts that have or could potentially connect with university-based programs, centers, faculty, staff, or students. UNCG welcomes submissions from both UNCG members and non-members.
The National Policy Consensus Center is expanding its Civic Leadership Academy to two new cities: Hermiston and Sisters. The program focuses on developing collaborative leadership skills that prepare and empower new and diverse leadership to serve on local government councils, boards, and commissions, and has produced remarkable results for the City of Hillsboro. Alumni who have completed the program now serve on all of the City’s boards and commissions, and two have been elected to the Hillsboro City Council.
Oregon’s Kitchen Table, one of the sub-units under the National Policy Consensus Center, successfully completed the 2nd year of the Hatfield Futures Project. In this project, teams of high school-aged youth engage in generating innovative solutions for our most important societal, environmental, and economic issues. Participants collaborate to create forward-thinking ideas that culminates in a presentation of proposals to community leaders, elected officials, and stakeholders. This year’s cohort presented March 22-23, 2024, at the Hatfield Futures Showcase. Congratulations to all the participants!
The Center for Public Service, one of the Centers within the Hatfield School of Government, hosts visiting scholars from the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG), South Korea, and the Supreme Court of Japan each year. They come to study public administration systems in the United States and to conduct their research. Two scholars from SMG are focused on sustainable tourism policies and indoor air quality management, while a scholar from the Supreme Court of Japan is focused on the digitalization of courts. Their final presentation is scheduled for Wednesday, June 5th, from 4:30-6:00 pm at the Urban Center Parson’s Gallery. This event is open to the public!
The Center for Public Service Fellowships Program has recruited exceptionally qualified, trained and diverse fellowship candidates from prestigious institutions throughout the United States to serve as project managers for the region’s public sector in 2024. Candidates are prepared to support sponsors in areas such as research and analysis, community engagement, program evaluation, and so much more. Learn more about the program here, and consider sponsoring a fellow of your own.
HATFIELD SCHOOL EVENTS
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