much to figure out!), but what I hope this guide will do is help you demystify the public sector, think seriously about a career in it, and engage in some activities that will help you figure it out.
I am deeply appreciative of all the students who have allowed me to walk with them during parts of their journey to finding meaningful and fulfilling work in the public sector and to chip away at the problems they see around us. These students and all the public servants motivate me and inspire me daily.
Why I Study Public Administration and Do What I Do
Before I can offer you thoughts and activities to help you find your path, it’s only fair that I share a bit of my story about how I came to be fascinated by the public sector and have devoted my professional life to education for the public sector. Growing up, I always loved social studies. And I couldn’t watch or read enough news coverage as a middle and high school student. I am not sure what accounts for this fascination as my parents both vote regularly and pay attention, but they aren’t captivated by the government the way I am.
When I started my college career, I wanted to major in film studies because I loved movies and worked in movie theaters and video stores. But I didn’t want to make movies, I just wanted to study them and evaluate them. I was unsure how this would offer me a future after school. My other passion was government but I had no idea what I would do after college with government, but I knew I needed to get a job. I didn’t think I could get a job with a degree in political science—little did I know—so I majored in economics thinking that still involved the government but was in the business school, so I must be able to get a job. While I was in college, I realized I could add both political science and public administration as majors and still graduate on time, so I did. And I came to understand the range of job possibilities in these fields.
I took a course in environmental policy in my sophomore year that I loved. I’m not quite sure why it resonated with me—I remember how great and motivating the professor was, but I wasn’t particularly enamored with environmentalism prior to the course. The next semester I took an environmental economics course and was equally inspired. As luck would have it, one of my professors told me about a state government internship program. So, I checked it out. I had no idea what an internship was really all about, but I knew it was better that I do something like that rather than work in a movie theater for yet another summer. Ultimately, I interned for what was then called the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and I was hooked. I was fascinated by environmental regulations, the workings of government, and how stuff got done. I continued interning there for another summer.
My undergraduate theses looked at different aspects of environmental policy, and I wanted to learn more. Since I was little, I always wanted to teach, but I didn’t think that I wanted to teach elementary or high school. By the end of my college career, another professor of mine suggested I consider graduate school in public administration and that sounded like a great idea—if I’m being honest, I mostly wanted to delay any adult decision making for another couple of years, so a master’s degree seemed perfect. In the back of my mind, I thought that if I could make it in graduate school, maybe I would get a PhD and become a college professor. The rest, as they say, is history.
Acknowledgments
My journey owes much to a number of individuals along the way that talked with me and helped me figure out what I was passionate about and what I wanted to pursue professionally. Dr. Sharon Spray and Dr. Doug Redington, both of Elon University, were undergraduate professors of mine that shaped my interests in environmental issues. Dr. Chalmers Brumbaugh and Dr. Betty Morgan have both retired from Elon, but were instrumental in helping me pursue those first internship experiences and find my way to Virginia Tech. In graduate school, Dr. Karen Hult and Dr. Larkin Dudley played major roles in helping me refine my passions, as did my fellow graduate students. Then as a professor, I continue to encounter students who inspire and motivate me—including a number of them profiled in the following pages.
But I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge my family. My husband, Steven, is a dedicated federal civil servant himself. And I’m inspired by and incredibly proud of the work he does. It’s not easy being a civil servant and he’s dedicated himself to public service. And it’s not easy being married to someone like me who studies the public sector and always has bizarre questions or abstract theories to contextualize what he might be experiencing in his day-to-day work. It takes a special kind of person to put up with that. Beyond his professional pursuits, he provides unwavering and unconditional support for my professional aspirations. The love he offers is enhanced by the affection and attention of our three amazing dogs, Sydney, Victoria, and Mackenzie. Their support is of a far different nature, but their wagging tails, understanding looks, and general presence are essential in keeping me grounded and motivating me.
About the Authors
Chapter One Defining the Public Sector and Its Opportunities
Undoubtedly, you have heard the term the public sector, but you may not have a clear sense of what that term implies, let alone the career possibilities it holds. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. By contrast, the private sector often seems much clearer as it refers to the companies that make the stuff we buy, like cell phones, or that provide the services we consume, like movie-streaming services. And these private sector companies make huge profits, or at least strive to do that. But what is it that the public sector actually does, and what kinds of meaningful career opportunities does it offer? These questions are the foundation of this chapter, so we will
define the public sector,
discuss the range of career options available in the public sector, and
explore public perceptions and attitudes about the public sector and the people who work in it.
This last objective is particularly important because there are a lot of perceptions about the public sector that would likely impact anyone’s consideration of a career; therefore, it is essential to acknowledge and understand those attitudes and where they come from. By the end of this chapter, you should have a good understanding of the public sector and the wide variety of job opportunities you could pursue.
What Is the Public Sector?
The public sector is a term that refers to the organizations that provide public goods and services, ranging from the military and law enforcement, to roads and bridges, to environmental protection
