Three outstanding graduate students in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management were selected for the highly competitive 2014 Oregon Fellows Program, which attracts students from major universities across the country. Applicants are evaluated on their academic records, professional experience, and commitment to public service. This year, 20 fellows were selected from a pool of more than 200 applicants. Fellows receive a $5,000 stipend for the 10-week program and an array of professional development activities.
Master of community and regional planning student Aniko Drlik-Muehleck was selected to serve as a consultant for a food security research project at Home Forward, the public housing authority in Multnomah County, Oregon. She assessed the agency’s current infrastructure and services, researched approaches to address hunger among residents in public housing, and made recommendations for strategic and operational changes that will improve Home Forward’s ability to assist food-insecure residents. The experience prompted Drlik-Muehleck to expand her career focus to include food justice and to think about ways to address the root causes of food insecurity.
Master of community and regional planning student Andrew Dutterer, who is also pursuing a concurrent master’s degree in environmental studies, was selected to work in the Focused Investments and Policy Program at the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB). Dutterer has long admired the mission of OWEB and its capacity in collaborating with salmon- and river-restoration efforts. This past summer, he supported a new direction in restoration policy by facilitating strategic partnerships among watershed councils, land trusts, soil and water conservation districts, and other nongovernmental organizations to address large-scale and long-term restoration efforts.
Master of public administration student Luis Sandoval expanded his career interests as a result of his fellowship with the City of Portland Audit Services Division. He discovered that performance auditing is in alignment with his commitment to public service. Sandoval contributed to four audit projects, which included conducting background research and in-person interviews, gathering best-practices information, and comparing common practices across jurisdictions. He noted that his supervisor and coworkers made a special effort to maximize his experience.
Drlik-Muehleck, Dutterer, and Sandoval were outstanding fellows and will be part of the next generation of managers, analysts, and policymakers.