Vietnam PA Internship or 509 Organizational Experience: January 2010 thru March 2010

MPA students interested in doing their PA 509, or an internship,
during the Winter term of 2010 in Hanoi Vietnam should contact Prof.
Marcus Ingle immediately. The Hatfield School of Government has Ford
Foundation support to collaborate with the Ho Chi Minh National
Academy for Politics and Public Administration (HCMA) in Hanoi in
creating a new public sector leadership discipline for the country
with an emphasis on sustainable development. A Hatfield MPA graduate
recently completed her PA 509 with the HCMA in Hanoi, and the HCMA is
anxious to host another young professional early next year. The
purpose of the organizational experience will be to assist the HCMA
and the Hatfield School of Government with the execution of the
Academy's leadership development strategy. Organizational tasks will
include strategy implementation, cross-cultural communication, project
management and administration, relationship development, teaching of
an English for Leadership course for Vietnamese faculty and report
preparation. This organizational experience includes a stipend which
covers the costs of international travel and local living expenses.
The MPA student will spend part of their professional time in Hanoi at
the HCMA in our program support office that is equipped with a
computer and internet connectivity. Mature MPA students who are
prepared to spend a minimum of 10 weeks in Hanoi beginning early in
January of 2010 should send an e-mail to Prof. Marcus Ingle with a
statement of their interests and availability. Dr. Ingle's e-mail is
mingle@pdx.edu.

PA 509 Organizational Experience Profile: Toni Flitcraft

Toni Flitcraft
MPA 2009, Specialization in International Relations and Policy

MPA Classes:
International Relations (PS 530)
U.S. Foreign Policy (PS 505)
Global Leadership and Management
Public Relations and Public Affairs (PA 505)
National Policy Process
Public Contract Management
Operations Research

Toni completed her organizational experience project this past summer (2009) in Vienna, Austria at the U.S. Department of State's Office for Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

What did you do at the OSCE?
I worked on research for current issues, drafting interventions and briefings, and representing the U.S. as a short-term observer at Kyrgyzstan's 2009 Presidential Election.

What was your personal goal for choosing this project as the capstone to your MPA studies?
I've always been interested in the Foreign Service as a career. This was a great way to get a first-hand look at what life is like as a Foreign Service Officer.

How has participating in an internationally-focused organizational experience project helped you tie together your MPA experience?
I went into the MPA program with the goal of working for the State Department after graduation and I created a specialization which reflected that goal. So this was the perfect experience in which to end my educational program.

What do you see yourself doing in the next five to ten years?
Ideally I would like to be working for a public or non-profit organization with an international focus. I haven't given up on the idea of working as a Foreign Service Officer for the Department of State, but my experience at OSCE and my education at PSU have opened my eyes to the many different opportunities available.