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.

Coursework

Advising Appointment

Course Descriptions

Internship Guide

Student Organizations

Student Recognitions

Scholarships

Library Subject Guide

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. 

Program Coordinator:    Quincy Williams

Faculty:

• Salvatore Alaimo
• Neal Buckwalter
• Gregory Cline
• Davia Downey
• John Golaszewski (golaszej@gvsu.edu)
• Raymond Higbea (higbeara@gvsu.edu)
• Mark Hoffman
• Richard Jelier

• Huafang Li (lih@gvsu.edu)
• Adam London (londadam@gvsu.edu)
• Jason Reep (reepj@gvsu.edu)
• Donijo Robbins
• Alan Vanderberg  (vandeala@gvsu.edu)
• 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

Guest Lecturers:

Ashlee Cunningham

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:

• Social and Community Service Managers
• Urban and Regional Planners
• Budget Analysts
• Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents
• Emergency Management Directors

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

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 freshmen 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

• Public and Nonprofit Administration, BA/BS (Undergraduate)
• Public and Nonprofit Administration, BA/BS - Budgeting and Finance Emphasis
• Public and Nonprofit Administration, BA/BS - Community Development & Planning Emphasis
• Public and Nonprofit Administration, BA/BS - Community Health Emphasis
• Public and Nonprofit Administration, BA/BS - Local Economic Development Emphasis
• Public and Nonprofit Administration, BA/BS - Public Personnel Management Emphasis

Student Body Profile

PNA majors at time of graduation, August 2012 to April 2017

• Total graduates: 338
• Age under 24: 82% 
• Age 25-29: 10%
• Age 30-39: 5%
• Age 40+: 2%
• Female: 72%
• Male: 28%
• White: 71%
• African-American/Black: 18%
• Hispanic: 4%
• Asian: 4%
• Mixed-race: 1%
• Foreign citizen: 0.6%
• Transfer students: 33%