The Center for Public Management (CPM) has been busy! This fall, the Center welcomes new staff members: Lauren Hajjar and Kaitlyn Davis, Graduate Fellow Kevin Hart, and intern Layla Kiani.  In addition, Professor Brenda Bond an expert in public safety management, will be working with the CPM staff on two new Executive Office of Public Safety/Lowell and Springfield Police Department projects.

In addition to its ongoing Ryan White evaluation work with the Boston Public Health Commission, here are some projects and programs that the Center has been busy with over the summer:

Summer Jobs Program

The CPM, in partnership with the Department of Social Services and Communities for People, concluded its fifth annual summer jobs program on August 31st with a graduation ceremony at the Suffolk University for participants. Forty-seven youths aged 16-18 were paired up with 21 nonprofit agencies in the Boston area to learn valuable job skills and gain confidence as employees. Of the 47 youth who began the program in the beginning of July, 38 graduated after completing the 8 week program. Some youths have even stayed on in their placements to work during the school year. Highlights of this year’s program include a two-day orientation for agencies and youths, a mid-summer BBQ event, and the involvement of two amazing job coaches who visited each site once a week. Erica Nazzaro, a youth supervisor from Boston’s Hope, had this to share about her agency’s participation in the program, "The DSS/Suffolk Summer Jobs Program has been the most wonderful thing that could have happened to Boston’s Hope and for our kids.  The relationships that were forged through our workers and the children that we serve were phenomenal". The Center looks forward to continuing the program next year!

Certificate Graduations

The CPM’s certificate programs were brought to completion this summer with four graduations. The Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers Certificates in Human Services Management and Nonprofit Administration and Finance graduated 18 and 21 students
respectively. The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers graduated 25 students (with a 100% retention rate!), and the Haitian Multi-Service Center, in its first year partnering with the Center, graduated 7 students. The LEND program graduated 10 students. All graduations, except the LEND program, were held at Sargent Hall, and the graduates, their families, supervisors, and certificate faculty enjoyed a wonderful reception before each. The Center also recognized its 500th certificate graduate, Tevonne Ellis, with a $500 scholarship as she begins her graduate studies in the Suffolk MPA program!  The Center for Public Management has launched six certificate programs for 2007-2008 year as of September 21st!