MPA Alumni Spotlight: Ireland Stevenson, '22
Ireland, a second year MPA student, was recently selected as a finalist for the 2022 Presidential Management Fellowship program!
Originally from Stockton, CA, she moved to Tucson to start her undergraduate career at the University of Arizona in 2016. In 2020, she graduated with a BA in Journalism, and decided to continue her education in the MPA program. She is currently a second-year student and serves as an Assistant Learning Specialist for C.A.T.S. Academics and will also be interning this spring semester for Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick.
When asked about why she pursued the MPA program, Ireland stated: “I decided to apply for the MPA program after interning for Congressman Raul Grijalva’s district office and I discovered that I had a passion for public service and wanted to shift my career goals to strengthening communities and raising awareness to policy issues. Being part of the MPA program has helped me gain confidence in my professional interests and showed me that government is a place that brings people together and where no one should be left behind. My career goals now include combining the unique curricula I have learned over the past 6 years to focus on effective political communication and media strategy for an elected official or a federal agency.”
The PMF program is quite prestigious and extremely competitive in the selection process. This year, there were just over 8,000 applications received across the country from many academic disciplines and a total of 1,100 were selected as finalists. Ireland is excited about being selected as a 2022 Presidential Management Fellow and will be pursuing an appointment at a federal agency following graduation in May of this year.
Congratulations and Bear Down Ireland!
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**Update: Ireland now works at the Department of Agriculture as a Foreign Agricultural Service Specialist!
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**December 2022 Update: Ireland was just selected to work in the White House Office of Communications, working directly with the Deputy of Communications Director Jennifer Molina. Congratulations Ireland!!
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**September 2023 Update: Ireland finished her rotation at the White House Office of Communications and has been reappointed to work in the Department of Transportation in the Office of Secretary Buttigieg to work with his public affairs team. Many congratulations to you, Ireland, on this amazing opportunity!!