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In January, the Moynihan Center became the new home of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at The City College of New York (CCNY). Here is a look at some of what we're building together and why.

Since its founding, the Moynihan Center has worked from a simple premise: talent for public service is widely distributed, but pathways into public-service leadership are not. Increasingly, those paths require a graduate credential, creating a barrier for capable students who have everything they need to lead except for the right combination of letters after their name.

This January, at the request of the dean of the Colin Powell School and with the provost's support, the Center assumed administrative responsibility for City College's Master of Public Administration program. The MPA gives the Center a direct way to address that challenge: an affordable graduate degree taught by practitioners and connected to the Center's network of mentors and public-sector partners.

Our aim is to build the best MPA in New York City while making it the most affordable. Classes will stay small and in person, taught by practitioners—including some members of the Center's senior fellow network—and grounded in a community that actively seeks constructive engagement across lines of difference.

It is an ambitious set of commitments. Over the past year, several of the building blocks have begun falling into place.

Our distinguished faculty bring extensive experience as practitioners in public service. They are a core strength of our program and connect our students to an indispensable network in the profession.

Earlier this year, the College committed a new full-time faculty line to the MPA program, and the Center recruited Annika Hinze as Academic Director. A professor of political science and  scholar of urban politics, Dr. Hinze is, among other works, co-author of City Politics, the standard textbook in the field, and co-editor of the International Political Science Review, which she brings with her to City College. She previously directed Fordham University's Urban Studies Program, which includes a major, minor, and M.A. program.

Dr. Hinze joined CCNY this August and works in partnership with MPA Program Director Caroline Enjalbert, who leads program operations. This fall, Hinze is teaching Public Policy in the MPA program.

Also joining the faculty this fall are Sarah Gruen and Laurence Pevsner, who teach our Communications in Public Service course. Each previously served as Director of Speechwriting for the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Gruen is a Senior Director at West Wing Writers, while Pevsner is a Visiting Fellow at the Moynihan Center and a Partner, Research at Lux Capital.

The MPA attracts students from a range of backgrounds—some with established careers in public service and others coming directly from undergraduate degree programs. Together, they form close-knit cohorts shaped by a wide range of expertise, interests, and experience, equipped to thrive in both scholarship and practice.

This year, we have begun developing our 4+1 program, a new pathway to the MPA that will allow promising undergraduates to earn their bachelor's and master's degrees in five years, saving time and tuition for students who are eager to start their careers early. We are piloting the program first with Political Science majors. It will move through the College's curricular approval process this year, with further information to be shared as that process moves forward.

Building on a well-established program, the Center welcomes master's students into its network of public scholars and distinguished practitioners, connecting them with mentors and with a roster of more than 50 public-sector partners for internships and applied policy work.

This is the Center's first year as the home of the MPA. We look forward to sharing more in the year ahead—and to hearing from prospective students, alumni, and partners who want to be part of what comes next.

For updates on the MPA, including key dates and admissions requirements, visit the program page.

Learn more about the MPA program