In recognition of their academic and professional accomplishments, 23 members of the class of 2014 joined the La Follette School's chapter of Pi Alpha Alpha, the global honor society in public affairs and administration.
The May 9 reception featured speaker Roberta Gassman, a senior fellow at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Social Work. "You have been trained at a special place and you will forever carry the name of Governor Robert M. La Follette with you," Gassman told the group. "He was a giant, the epitome of 'the Wisconsin Idea.' He understood the needed linkages between academic research and government leadership to work together to improve the lives of our citizens and our public institutions."
"You will be going out into a world that faces complex challenges — this world needs you and your skills, possibly now more than ever," added Gassman, who is former deputy assistant secretary for employment and training with the U.S. Department of Labor, and former secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. "Public service is noble work and you are our future. I know that you, using all you have learned here, will go on to make our communities, our states, our nation and our world better places for all."
The inducted students are:
| Claire Boyce Katherine Cary Iseul Choi William Dernbach, Jr. Michele Dickinson Meghan Doherty Aaron Dumas Josef Dvorak |
Anne Gargano Ahmed Lacee Koplin Steven Kulig Jr. Brian Leung Katelin Lorenze Stephanie Mabrey John Magnino Daniel Marlin |
Christa Pugh Anne Racine Yi-Fan (Leona) Su Shuangyi (Issy) Sun Malika Taalbi Amanda Wilmarth John Wilson-Tepeli |
Student Dan Marlin, student services coordinator Mary Treleven and student services associate Jennifer Donahoe organized the event.
Pi Alpha Alpha encourages and recognizes outstanding scholarship and accomplishment in public affairs. It fosters integrity, professionalism and creative performance in public service, and it promotes the advancement of quality in the education and practice in the art and science of public affairs.
Pi Alpha Alpha is an initiative of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. The Wisconsin-La Follette chapter is sponsored by the La Follette School of Public Affairs and the La Follette School Student Association.