29 Fort Worth city employees graduate from UTA program
Michelle Swindle never envisioned herself earning a graduate degree, not to mention one in which her classes would be right across the street from where she works in downtown Fort Worth.
But this May, she’ll cross the stage at Globe Life Field in Arlington with 28 classmates who are fellow employees at the city of Fort Worth. The group of city employees is the first to graduate from UTA’s Master of Public Administration cohort program, which launched about three years ago.
“This cohort program has not only been convenient for me to advance my career, but I’ve been able to connect with a variety of city employees, fostering cross-department collaboration that will benefit our residents,” said Swindle, who works in the city’s IT department.
Swindle’s classmates say collaboration and innovation have been hallmarks of the program. Evan Roberts, development services assistant director and building official with the city of Fort Worth Planning and Development Department, said the experience was “transformative.”
“In my 20-plus years of government service, it has made the most significant impact on how I lead my team and collaborate with peers and stakeholders alike,” Roberts said. “I am better able to serve the communities of Fort Worth because of my time and training in the cohort.”
Michael Wollman, director of UTA Fort Worth, emphasized the innovative approach the University has adopted to align its educational programs with the unique needs of the community.
"Our collaboration with the city of Fort Worth was foundational in designing a program that not only addresses affordability but also fits seamlessly into the work schedules of our students by holding classes exclusively on Fridays," Wollman noted.
He further highlighted the tailored approach to curriculum development.
"In our discussions with the city, we asked, 'What are your specific needs?' Responding to this, our faculty developed a high-quality curriculum customized for these requirements," he said.
Wollman is enthusiastic about the future of this partnership and the potential for many more with employers in the region.
“We are dedicated to strengthening our relationship with Fort Worth and extending this collaborative model across all our programs to ensure they meet the evolving needs of our industry partners and the broader community.”
Fort Worth and UTA’s partnership is not only a way to make residents’ lives better, but also a move for the city to grow its own talent.
“The program is really a testament to the city's commitment to its workforce,” said Veronica Villegas, a member of the inaugural cohort. “It’s a huge investment, and that’s not lost on me.”
That commitment will continue, as the next Fort Worth cohort starts in the fall.
“The cohort is expanding and diversifying the pool of professionally trained managers working for the city of Fort Worth, thereby helping us to serve our residents and taxpayers more effectively,” said Fernando Costa, assistant city manager. “Furthermore, with the capstone research projects that participants are completing in their final semester, the cohort is providing us with findings and recommendations that will help us to address important and timely issues identified by our City Manager’s Office.”
David Coursey, associate professor and chair of the Public Affairs and Planning Department, said the program is the model forward for higher education institutions, one where universities make programs as accessible as possible while engaging the community around UTA.
“This program highlights how UTA is innovative in how we provide our educational services to our community,” Coursey said. “There are opportunities to take this model into other disciplines.”
Ming-Han Li, dean of College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs, said he is looking forward to continuing the University’s and CAPPA’s partnership with the city of Fort Worth.
"I am impressed by the success of the MPA Fort Worth cohort program that offers advanced education for the city staff,” Li said. “I appreciate Dr. Coursey's leadership and the dedication of several faculty members to the program.”
