Liliokanaio Peaslee

Taking the Classroom to Town Hall: Advancing Public Affairs Education through University-Municipal Collaborations

English poet John Donne (1624) wrote, “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” These words resonate in today’s complex environment of public administration, where it is imperative to share knowledge, information, skills, and resources in order to govern effectively. Collaboration between colleges and universities and the public sector provide one such mechanism for enhancing the problem solving and service capacity of state and local governments while at the same time expanding learning opportunities for students of public affairs. While university-community partnerships can enhance higher education across the disciplines, collaboration with local governments is particularly important for preparing the next generation of students for public management.