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| From l to r: Mark Cooper, Kimberly Robinson, Richard White, Rose Hudson, Evan Berman, James Richardson |
One of the distinct aspects of LSU graduates is that whether they choose to remain close to their alma mater when they leave or venture far away from Baton Rouge they have the tools to compete in the workforce with alumni from any other university in the nation.
Graduates of the Masters in Public Administration Program at the E. J. Ourso College of Business have attained various executive positions in numerous private, public, and non-profit institutions worldwide and have also reached various levels within state and local governments across the United States. Two of Louisiana’s most influential leaders in such arena are MPA alumni – Rose Hudson, president of the Louisiana Lottery Corporation, and Kimberly Robinson, special counsel to Governor Kathleen Blanco.
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| Rose Hudson and Kimberly Robinson |
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Despite working for completely different entities, Hudson and Robinson both express a deep sense of responsibility for their careers and the impact that they have in the grand scheme of overall success for Louisiana. Both also credit their MPA education at LSU for enabling their personal success.
The MPA program is a professional program for students interested in public management and public policy issues. Students take courses in public management, budgeting and finance, human resource policy, program evaluation, economics, statistics, and other management-related courses.
“During my six-year tenure with the lottery, we have continually talked about our responsibility to operate a business with the highest level of integrity,” Hudson said. “Our eye toward being a responsible business includes how we advertise our products, how we design our games, and various other aspects of the business. We realize we are a gaming entity and we emphasize the entertainment value of our products as opposed to the life-changing aspect that some would expect.”
Hudson, who received her MPA from LSU in 1989, was honored this past May as the E. J. Ourso College’s Public Administration Institute’s 2007 MPA Alumna of the Year. She credits her MPA with giving her the ability to take classroom theory and apply it to real-world situations. Additionally, Hudson values highly the advice and information her professors provided her to help begin her career.
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| MPA Students |
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“The provided information on a variety of positions available, internship options, and most importantly, expectations we should be prepared to meet,” Hudson said. “I benefited from two internships that were directly related to my interest in working with the legislature, one of which turned into a full-time position upon graduation.”
Robinson left her position of counsel for the Department of Revenue to join the governor’s staff as special counsel in July of 2006. In this capacity, Robinson assists with major legal issues and legislation while also driving economic development and revenue policy for the governor.
“Government agencies are clamoring for MPA graduates with knowledge and understanding of the budget process and strategic planning,” Robinson said. “Having the MPA and JD, I have the skill set to work as a policy maker, legal counsel, and administrator.”
Through the advancement of alumnae such as Hudson and Robinson, LSU’s MPA Program continues to gain recognition as a producer of leaders on all fronts. For more information about the MPA program, contact Jim Richardson at parich@lsu.edu.
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