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Faculty Highlights Fall 2025

Dr. Darrin Wilson

Dr. Darrin Wilson headshot with a "Happy Sabbatical" message

Dr. Darrin Wilson is on sabbatical this semester, writing a book that applies the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) framework to community-owned business cooperatives. Congratulations to Dr. Wilson on this听well-deserved opportunity to further his research program!

Specifically, the book will examine how communities can leverage their existing assets (human, social, physical, cultural, political, financial, and natural) to create and maintain community-owned business cooperatives. The goal is to help government, community development, and economic development practitioners understand how they can use the resources and characteristics that already exist in their communities to create听sustainable and equitable economic opportunities.

Dr. Wilson's book merges research from two disciplines -- community听 development and economic development -- to study how cooperative businesses can address economic, societal, and environmental inequities in communities. Many of the key concepts in the book, such as "community wealth building," are embedded in two courses that he regularly teaches in our MPA program: Community Development (PAD 560) and Local Economic Development听(PAD 561).


 

Dr. Julie Olberding

Glow lights in the darkness from BLINK Cincinnati

Dr. Julie Olberding recently wrote a Community Voices column for LINK nky about her research on the social impacts of events and festivals. According to her research, major events such as Blink and the Flying Pig Marathon have positive impacts on the region's social assets including its public image, local pride, social connections, feelings of solidarity, and support of social causes. And she's begun to study these impacts for smaller events embedded in communities and听neighborhoods across our region such as Play in the Park Cincinnati.

"While people tend to focus on the economic outcomes of an event 鈥 especially a major event 鈥 it鈥檚 important to give attention to social outcomes, especially when they鈥檙e at the core of the event鈥檚 purpose or mission," Dr. Olberding wrote. She added that measuring social impacts can help event听organizers plan for the future and make improvements.

"Also, organizers can share these social impacts with foundations, corporations, and individuals that supported the event through grants, sponsorships, and donations," she wrote. "And volunteers appreciate knowing their time and talent mattered, especially in听terms of mission-driven outcomes." .听


 

Southeastern Conference for Public Administration (SECoPA)

The 小猪视频 MPA program was well-represented at the Southeastern Conference for Public Administration (SECoPA), which took place last week in Coral Springs, FL. Dr. Julie Olberding shared a joint presentation by her and Rajani Menon (Women's Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation) on the Appointed Civic Leadership Academy (ACLA), as an initiative to close the gender gap on civic board and commissions. Dr. Shamima Ahmed gave a presentation on the uncertain terrain for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in the 21st century. Missy Gish joined them in sharing information about the 小猪视频 MPA program, passing out swag, and serving as a sponsor.

 

Dr. Darrin Wilson

photo collage including the greater memphis chapter members, elon musk, and infrastructure

Dr. Darrin Wilson was quoted in an investigative news article about Elon Musk鈥檚 xAI supercomputing center in Memphis, TN. The Colossus facility has faced "intense public opposition" due to toxic emissions, potential health impacts, and extreme usage of electricity and听water.

Despite this public opposition, the Memphis Chamber of Commerce advocated for the Colossus facility including a mailer that contained misleading facts, according to the article. Dr. Wilson said chambers of commerce are designed to promote businesses and a pro-business climate. But he added: 鈥淵ou want to make sure that the residents of Memphis and Shelby County have 100% accurate and full information around something that is going to impact their day-to-day lives so that they can make decisions for themselves听and advocate on their own behalf.鈥

The article was published in MLK50, which a nonprofit news outlet and member of ProPublica's Local Reporting听Network. .


 

小猪视频 MPA Anniversaries

photo of shamima ahmed, julie olberding, missy gish, margo wheatley, melissa moon, nana arthur-mensah,  and megan downing

At our department retreat -- 小猪视频 Political Science, Criminal Justice and Organizational Leadership -- we celebrated some big anniversaries for faculty and staff at our institution, including those in the MPA听program:

- Dr. Shamima Ahmed: 30 years

- Dr. Melissa Moon: 25 years

- Dr. Julie Olberding: 20 years

- Missy Gish: 20 years

- Dr. Nana Arthur-Mensah: 10 years

That's a TOTAL of 105 years of experience!


 

CONTACT US

小猪视频 - Master of Public Administration
FH 572B, Highland Heights, KY 41099
Email mpa@nku.edu / Phone 859.572.5326