ABSTRACT
Recognizing that community service is a salient aspect of many universities’ missions, public administration programs, because of their emphasis on community outreach and engagement through coursework and service obligations, are often featured as centerpieces of university outreach efforts. In conjunction with an MPA program, many universities have established university public service organizations as examples of their commitment to public service. This chapter explores this intersection of MPA programs and university public service organizations in building successful university–community partnerships. As part of building collaborative community programs, MPA advisory boards are discussed relative to their importance to establishing currency with, and serving as program ambassadors to, the community. As the engaged university embraces application-base, service learning, and experiential learning opportunities, MPA programs and university public service organizations provide ideal settings for the meaningful engagement of these communities. Finally, as these programs are already established on campus and in communities, universities need to make a more concerted effort to support and feature university public service organizations and MPA programs in their outreach and engagement endeavors.
