What Can You Do With an MPA?

Balancing midnight police shifts with evening graduate courses, Kathryn Mone proved that Carsey's Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is designed for working professionals ready to lead. But what is an MPA good for? What jobs can you get with the degree?

The Public Administration field has a seat in every industry, from health care and education to government and law enforcement, and every major sector in between. The MPA program focuses on designing, implementing, and evaluating policies and services in any organization, giving Kathryn the perfect foundation for a leadership role in local government and law enforcement.

"My experience with the MPA program, we learned how local government works, that law enforcement is just a piece of local government...so I'm glad I have that wider view," Kathryn reflects.

That wider view has taken her farther than most women in law enforcement. In 2024, Kathryn became Strafford County's first female elected sheriff, a distinction shared by fewer than 2% of sheriffs nationwide.

Building Community Trust With an MPA

In law enforcement, it's easy to only focus on the goals of the department—reducing crime, community needs, staffing, etc. But Kathryn's MPA studies broadened her perspective beyond the scope of the department.

She came to understand how every department—fire, planning, city management—all work together to support the community. That full-scope view made her a stronger leader, helping her to see law enforcement as one piece of the much larger system.

That perspective helps her to reach her personal mission of reshaping how communities view law enforcement by building trust and approachability.

"When I started, I wanted to change what people thought of as a typical law enforcement officer...If you need to talk to a law enforcement officer about anything that's happened, I want you to think, I can call Kathryn. And when that happens, when I get those calls, I know my career has been worth it."

The MPA in Action: Applying Lessons from the Classroom

Kathryn's coursework wasn't just theory; it was applied projects taught by practitioners in the field that connected directly to her career.

"I had one professor who worked for public sector unions...And I, at the time, was in the union as a police officer. And now I became president of the union. And I think it was such a good basis. Before I really knew anything about unions, I learned it in class from someone who was working in the field," Kathryn stated.

As a part of her journey, Kathryn got the opportunity to go out in the field for some tangible project experience. Traveling to the western side of New Hampshire, her cohort worked alongside a small town council to help them on a community-facing project.

This wasn't only a service to the town but also proved to be valuable to Kathryn's career. During her time serving as North Hampton's chief of police, she helped gain community support for new police and fire facilities. It was in this process that she drew directly from what she learned in the program about bonds, bids, and local government.

"The passing of the construction project was a wonderful example of how local government works and how New Hampshire government works."

Paying It Forward

A distinguished leader in her field, Kathryn is doing her part to give back to her law enforcement community. Growing up with the itch to teach, the MPA program has given her both the credentials and the confidence to do just that. In addition to her duties as Sheriff, she also teaches criminal justice classes at Great Bay Community College.

Now she's not only using lessons from her program to build trust and relationships in the community, but also to instill it in the next generation of leaders in the field—developing the approachable law enforcement members she once wished for.

Is an MPA Degree Worth It?

"It's definitely worth it. I think wherever you are, just getting out of school or [having] been in the workforce a while, the Public Administration Master's is very valuable."

Kathryn's story is one example of how an MPA can open doors beyond a single career track. No matter the field you're in—law enforcement, education, nonprofit management, etc.—the MPA equips graduates with the skills to lead, collaborate, and drive change.

For Kathryn, the MPA wasn't just a box to check on her resume; it was a path to leadership in her community and a chance to be the change she wanted to see.