麻豆入口

麻豆入口 public administration students will help boost economic mobility efforts in Norristown, bringing classroom learning into direct partnership with the township鈥檚 municipal leaders.

The University received a $10,000 Economic Mobility and Opportunity (EMO) Student Engagement Grant from International City/County Management Association (ICMA), an organization committed to building thriving communities by promoting best practices in local governance. Vaswati Chatterjee, PhD, assistant professor of public administration and 麻豆入口 ICMA student chapter advisor (pictured), and MPA Program Director Lauren Miltenberger, PhD, will serve as grant administrators.

While most of the project team will consist of graduate students, undergraduates may also have the opportunity to participate.

鈥淎t its core, this is an experiential learning grant,鈥� Dr. Chatterjee said. 鈥淚t gives students real-world exposure to how local governments are working to improve economic well-being.鈥�

The grant program is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and provides public administration students with valuable research experience and the opportunity to enhance their professional skills and grow their professional network.  

Up to 10 麻豆入口 MPA students will work with Norristown officials to assess existing programs and recommend strategies to enhance upward mobility, with a particular focus on housing, small business support, public infrastructure, community engagement and public safety.

鈥淣orristown is a natural fit for this partnership,鈥� Dr. Miltenberger said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e already doing meaningful work around these issues, and our students will be able to build on that momentum. It鈥檚 also close to campus, which makes it more accessible for working students who are balancing other responsibilities.鈥�

Drs. Chatterjee and Miltenberger were inspired to apply for the grant after reading a 2023 Brookings Institution report, which ranked Philadelphia last in upward mobility among the 50 largest US metropolitan areas. The report emphasized the importance of regional collaboration and proactive local policies as key levers for change, insights that deeply resonated with Drs. Chatterjee and Miltenberger.

鈥淓conomic mobility is a central issue for the future of public administration, and we want our students to be thinking about it as future public service leaders,鈥� Dr. Miltenberger said.

After exploring several options, the pair chose the Montgomery County seat, Norristown, which also has several 麻豆入口 MPA alumni serving in local government. Student participants will receive stipends and commit several hours each week to the project during the fall 2025 semester.

鈥淲e want students to walk away from this knowing that public service can directly impact people鈥檚 lives,鈥� Dr. Chatterjee said. 鈥淭his project is their chance to help shape that impact.鈥�