Public & Nonprofit Administration major

The baccalaureate program provides professional orientation and career specialization along with a sound liberal arts foundation. It provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary for success in public and nonprofit organizations. The curriculum emphasizes general public administration knowledge but also allows students to concentrate in selected specialties.

Why Study Public and Nonprofit Administration at Grand Valley?

There are many good reasons to choose a public and nonprofit administration degree at Grand Valley, including:

All our students participate in service learning courses and internships, through which they actively interact within the community, apply new skills, and build professional networks.
Many of our students participate in study abroad programs and spring break service learning trips.
We offer small classes sizes. In 2016-17, the median upper level undergraduate PA class size was 24.5 students.
Over 90% of our recent graduates are successfully placed (employed, attending graduate school, or both).
Our classes are offered in both day and evenings and on both the Allendale and Pew campuses.
The Steelcase Library’s Johnson Collection on Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership is one of the most comprehensive collections in the country on the subjects of philanthropy, volunteerism, and nonprofit management.

Spring Break 2018; Students in SLAM assisted with relief efforts

Spring Break 2018: SLAM (Students Leaving a Mark) assisted with relief efforts in areas of Texas hit by Hurricane Harvey.

Key People

Program Coordinator: Quincy Williams

Faculty:

Huafang Li (lih@gvsu.edu)
Adam London (londadam@gvsu.edu)
Jason Reep (reepj@gvsu.edu)
Donijo Robbins
Alan Vanderberg (vandeala@gvsu.ed u)
Erica VanEe (curryeri@gvsu.edu)
Andrew Wolber (andy@wolberworks.com)
Michelle Wooddell

Academic advisors: Breeann Gorham

Career Center contact: Carlos Martinez

Library liaison: Ashley Rosener

Internship Coordinator: Quincy Williams

Quincy Williams

Quincy Williams, Program Director and Internship Coordinator

Guest Lecturers:

Ashlee Cunningham

Employment Outlook and Career Advice

Connect Early, Connect Often

Make regular appointments with your faculty mentor and with a Career Center advisor to discuss your post-graduation plans.

Keep in mind that your internship experience is a prime opportunity to build your professional network and gain marketable skills.

Articles of Interest:

ICMA: Local Government Management: The Hottest Career You've Probably Never Heard Of
Alliance For Innovation: 5 Excellent Pieces of Advice on a Career in Public Service
Governing Magazine: Are Nonprofits the New Go-To Choice for Altruistic Jobseekers?
The Case Foundation: The Pros and Cons of Working in the Nonprofit Sector
US News Money: Thinking About a Nonprofit Job? Here's What You Should Know
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: You’re a what? Grant writer

BLS Occupational Outlook:

Selected job boards

CMF Job Bank (Michigan)
ICMA Job Center
IdealistCareers.org
Go Government
Koya Leadership Partners
Lumity NPO.net (Chicago area)
Michigan Municipal League
Michigan Township Association
MNA Nonprofit Job Center (Michigan)
State of Michigan Job Openings
Philanthropy News Digest
PublicServiceCareers.org
Work for Good
More nonprofit and government focused job boards

Events

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Program Transparency

Graduation rates

78% of students graduate within 6 years of declaring a public & nonprofit administration major.
4.3 years is the average time to graduation for public & nonprofit administration majors who started as first-year students at GVSU.
2.9 years is the average time to graduation for public & nonprofit administration majors who transferred to GVSU.

Class sizes

30 is the average class size for "Introduction to Public & Nonprofit Administration" (PA270).
24.5 is the average class size for upper division PA courses.

Placement

93% of recent graduates are successfully placed (employed, attending graduate school, or both).
5% of recent graduates are in graduate school.
68% of recent graduates report that being a college graduate contributed to obtaining their position.

Student Learning Outcomes