1.5 Combining forces in the development of programs and services:  (Page 6/7)

• A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by facilitating the development,articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the schoolcommunity.
• A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by advocating, nurturing, andsustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
• A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by ensuring management of theorganization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
• A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by collaborating with families andcommunity members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources.
• A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of the students by acting with integrity, fairness, andin an ethical manner.
• A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by understanding, responding to, andinfluencing the larger political social, economic, legal, and cultural context.
• A school administrator is an educational leader who understands and comprehensively applies technology to advancestudent achievement.
• A school administrator is an educational leader who synthesizes and applies knowledge and best practices and developsskills through substantial, sustained, standards-based work in real settings to advance student achievement (Michigan Department ofEducation, 2004).

Student reactions

There are a variety of reactions and opinions from students in the MPA program to the integration of students andcourse materials from the educational, public, and nonprofit sectors. Some students immediately see the value of theinterdisciplinary nature of the program and its applicability to the world of work. Others see the importance only after graduationwhen they are actively involved in administrative positions. While in the program, some students express dislike of theinterdisciplinary course content and in-class discussions and activities, and would prefer to have instruction and materialsrelate specifically to their area of interest. Instructors remain cognizant of these desires and make every attempt to address theneeds of each group thorough the use of examples, case studies, group projects, and class discussions. Once students graduate fromthe program and are involved in the application of new knowledgeand skills to practice on a daily basis, the usefulness of blending the disciplines together begins to be recognized. As part of an MPAprogram review conducted in 2004, a graduate student survey was conducted and open-ended responses were solicited. Following aregraduate responses related to the interdisciplinary nature of the program:

• “This program was of value to me because of its wide and broad applicability. Additionally, because the program was sobroad-based it attracted students from many different sectors. This was valuable to all of us in the program because it exposed each ofus to arenas of public administration with which we were not familiar. This added to and increased our learning.”(Assistant Principal)
• “The MPA program fosters personal friendship and professional relationships. Since the graduates of the program are from thepublic, education, and non-profit sectors, a great network is created. If I need information pertaining to another sector, I knowI can call a fellow graduate for assistance.”(City Administrator)
• “The MPA program at the University of Michigan-Dearborn provides an incredibly well rounded experience for those seeking toenlarge the scope of their knowledge, skills, and experiences as it applies to public organizations. I found great value in the way theprogram included the varied backgrounds of all of the individuals in the program.”(Assistant Principal)
• “Pedagogically, the classes at UM-D contained a very informative instructional basis. This combined with a very diverseand eclectic student base, allowed me to see real world aspects of public administration from a wide variety of backgrounds andviewpoints. These benefits have been extremely useful in my field of endeavors.”(Police Sergeant and Community College Adjunct Professor)
• “The sharing of ideas from my peers with diverse backgrounds enhanced the learning experience.”(Public Relations Consultant)
• “My MPA degree helped me get my two positions as instructor of political science (at a college and a university) and as afreshman dean (at a college). It is certainly a degree I drew upon regularly (as a city council member and as mayor)”. (Mayor)
• “Valuable instruction in leadership, organizational development, labor relations and financial management; Learningwith a diverse student body; A school where teachers and students learn from each other.”(Assistant to the Chancellor and Director of Equity&Affirmative Action)
• “UM-D is unique in bridging the gap between theory and practical experience. Classmates brought‘real world’situations into the classroom while instructors shaped theoreticalimplications of administration.”(Assistant Principal)
• “I found the combination business and education environment stimulating and informative. Working with people from diversebackgrounds affords a more real-world look into administrative issues and has prepared me to be more empathetic with parents ofschool-aged children”(Educator)
• “The challenging coursework and diverse backgrounds of classmates provided a solid foundation from which to launch a newcareer.”(Executive Director-University Campus Recreation)
• “Michigan-Dearborn’s MPA program provided me with a knowledge base, which I was able to apply across a variety of professionalexperiences.”(Technical Analyst)
• “The MPA program did an excellent job training me to be a leader in the non-profit sector. I would recommend this program(and have numerous times) to any person who has the drive and desire to become a leader in the nonprofit, educational, orgovernment sector.”(University Director of Development)