School of Public Affairs

Fuel Your Success in Public Service

Fueling Excellence for Careers in Public Service

The UCCS School of Public Affairs is one of the premier schools of public administration in the Rocky Mountain West. We feature a Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, accredited by NASPAA; highly ranked and respected programs in Criminal Justice; and a Bachelor and Master of Social Work.

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- Undergraduate Certificate in Homeland Security
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Outstanding Students Fall 2022

Bachelor of Criminal Justice

Baylee Worrell

Outstanding BACJ Student

“I love the Criminal Justice program at UCCS. I have made so many friends and connections that I wouldn't have otherwise had the opportunity to make if it hadn't been for UCCS. All of the CJ professors care so much about all their students and have so much knowledge and firsthand experience in the field. I am so thankful to have learned from so many amazing people!”

Baylee grew up in Hutto, Texas. She is a criminal justice and psychology major and attended her first year of college at Sterling college in Kansas where she played softball before transferring to UCCS in the fall of 2019. She has loved being in Colorado and has picked up many new hobbies since then. If she’s not in class, you can find her running, rock climbing, hammocking, or getting coffee with friends. She hopes to pursue a career in victim advocacy upon graduation and is so thankful for her time at UCCS!

Master of Criminal Justice

Ryan Harris

Outstanding MCJ Student

“We are all in this world together. We, as a society, should respond to challenging times with an eagerness to progress in ideas, knowledge, and understanding. UCCS has taught me invaluable skills that apply outside of academia, such as remaining open-minded, the navigation of ethical challenges, the pursuit of life-long learning, and the unwavering determination to follow my dreams. The professors at UCCS, both in the College of Public Service department, and all other departments, are truly committed to their students. I genuinely cannot thank UCCS enough for helping me evolve into the person that I have become.”

Ryan was born and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which made an always challenging decision – choosing the right university – an absolute breeze. He grew up watching all the popular law enforcement shows like CSI, Law & Order, and Criminal Minds, and at a young age, his desire was to be in a career related to the criminal justice system in some capacity. His future career choice is still undecided, as he has eagerly taken as many opportunities as possible to expand his knowledge and skillsets in a variety of fields. He interned with Titan Security Group, a private security firm in Chicago, Illinois, during the time that he and his wife were living in Chicago as she completed dental school. Because of his interest in private security, he chose to obtain the Graduate Certificate in National Security Intelligence, offered by UCCS, to diversify his education and competencies. He has also worked as a graduate research assistant under Dr. Henriikka Weir with an emphasis on teaching assisting to gain experience in the world of academia. He will be forever grateful for her guidance and her willingness to go above and beyond for the students at UCCS. He would also like to thank Dr. YongJei Lee for his continual support and mentorship. Dr. Lee and he worked together over the last couple of years on his Capstone project, and Dr. Lee’s expertise and assistance were invaluable. When he’s not occupied by coursework, he enjoys exercising, video games, and spending time with his wife and their two cats and bunny. Regardless of the career field that he chooses, he will always strive to better his community, his country, the world, and the people around him.

Master of Public Administration

Joanna Bean

Outstanding MPA Student

“I am a better thinker, professional and citizen thanks to my MPA experience. The UCCS MPA faculty are experts in their fields, pushed me to think in new ways and supported me when I wasn't sure I would finish the program. The staff in the School of Public Affairs are second to none. My classmates were top notch, and I learned so much from them in every class I took. I am excited to become a proud School of Public Affairs alumna.”

Joanna has lived and worked in Colorado Springs for more than three decades. She started her career as a reporter at The (Colorado Springs) Gazette newspaper, then worked in a variety of leadership roles in the newsroom. She directed the 2014 Pulitzer Prize-winning "Other than Honorable" story series, and was later named Editor in Chief. In 2016, Joanna joined UCCS, working in communications, marketing, alumni relations and annual giving fundraising. She started the MPA program in fall 2017. In August 2022, Joanna joined Pax8, a Denver technology company, as content strategy director.

Master of Public Administration

Wahid Saifuddin

Outstanding MPA Student

"My academic journey in the MPA program has been filled with constructive and objective learning, and an excellent sense of intellectual community that has helped me strive academically, and received relentless support and mentorship from all faculty members and express tremendous gratitude to them, and credit them with all my academic achievements."

Wahid is originally from Afghanistan and moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, in early 2010 and has called this beautiful state his home since. After settling in Colorado Springs, he was immediately given the honor to serve as a linguist/cultural advisor with U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan for two deployments. Serving alongside U.S. Armed Forces was an eye-opening experience in regard to politics, government, and policy which challenged him to further expand his knowledge and understanding through higher education. He started his academic journey as a student of political science at UCCS. After completion of his undergraduate degree, he pursued his graduate studies in the School of Public Affairs in the MPA program and will be graduating this fall.

Bachelor of Social Work

Blanca Diaz

Outstanding BSW Student

“I am humbled and honored to receive the BSW Outstanding Student award for the fall 2022 term. The UCCS Social Work department is an amazing program that has helped shape me into the person and social worker I am today. The support from my professors allowed me to feel comfortable asking questions to explore different scenarios and, most importantly, what the field of social work consists of and the various possibilities it has to offer. With the guidance of my professors, I have been able to enhance and learn new skills regarding ethics, communication, and how to provide trauma-informed care, which enabled me to feel confident in my internship and job. My mission statement is to lend as much hope to as many people for as long as I can. I am forever grateful to the BSW department for all the support and mentorship they have given me over the last two years.”

Blanca is originally from California, where she lived with her mom and three siblings; she is a first-generation graduate. She joined the Army at 18, served five years, and ended up in Colorado, where she decided to stay after getting out of the Army in 2018. After leaving the military, she was unsure of what she wanted to do, but knew she wanted to be in a helping profession. Inspired by the several social workers that helped her throughout her life, she realized social work is where she needed to be and began schooling at PPCC and transferred to UCCS in 2020. She will be starting the MSW advanced standing program with UCCS next semester, and her goal is to obtain her LCSW to become a clinical social worker. With the support of her professors and her current employment at a residential childcare facility, her goal is to work with children and teens and study childhood socialization.

Master of Criminal Justice

Marvin McChriston

Outstanding MCJ Student

Marvin was born and raised in Newark, NJ. As a product of the inner city, I know firsthand the lack of resources to achieving higher education. After the military, I was looking for the next challenge. I found this at UCCS. Being a part of the community here at UCCS, I have been privileged with gaining an experience that will last a lifetime. From research skills to critical thinking, I am confident I can assimilate the skills acquired at this university to any walk-in life.

2021-2022 U.S. News & World Report

The School of Public Affairs Master of Criminal Justice Program was recently ranked as #16 for "Best Online Program" and #11 for "Best Online Program for Veterans". Please see the website for more details about this honor.

2021 McConkie Leadership Conference

The Public Safety Initiative, School of Public Affairs, at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, is pleased to present the 2021 McConkie Leadership Conference. The event will be held at the Boot Barn Hall in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Friday, May 7, 2021. The annual one-day McConkie Leadership Conference brings together mid-level and senior managers from local government, industry, not-for-profit organizations, and anyone wanting to develop leadership skills. We are excited to announce that Jason Gardner of Echelon Front will be conducting this year's conference on Extreme Leadership. The registration fee for this event is $175. Please register by 4/30/21. Register Now!

Faculty Publication News: Dr. Robin Kempf

Congratulations to Dr. Robin Kempf and her recent book publication of “Safety and Security in Hotels and Home Sharing”. This brief comparatively reviews the security and safety features of hotels and home sharing services.

UCCS Downtown Virtual Mini-Series

Join UCCS Downtown live on Instagram for their virtual mini-series, which will include a virtual tour, alumni spotlight, reopening, and more. Live every Thursday in May at 4pm.

SPA Programs Ranked by US News and World Report

The online Master of Criminal Justice and the Graduate Certificate program in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Leadership were each ranked #14 in their respective categories by the US News and World Report. Read more.

Faculty Publication News: Dr. Don Klingner

Congratulations to Distinguished Professor Dr. Don Klingner for his editorial "Migration and Immigration", which has been published by Taylor & Francis as part of "The State of the Republic" editorial series in Public Integrity, a journal of the American Society for Public Administration.

Faculty News: Dr. Gia Barboza

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Dr. Gia Barboza, who will join the editorial board of the “Child Maltreatment,” one of the top-ranked academic journals in the areas of social work and family studies. Read about it on Communique.

Faculty Publication News: Dr. YongJei Lee

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Dr. YongJei Lee on the acceptance of his article “Following their lead: Police perceptions and their effects on crime prevention” in Justice Quarterly.

Faculty Publication News: Dr. Katy Cathcart

Congratulations to Senior Instructor of Criminal Justice Dr. Katy Cathcart on her new book Power & Authority: Profiles of Contemporary Law Enforcement and Corrections Applications.

Faculty Publication News: Dr. Henriikka Weir & Dr. Edin Mujkic

Congratulations to Assistant Professors Dr. Henriikka Weir and Dr. Edin Mujkic for getting their article "Causes and explanations of suicide terrorism: A systematic-review" accepted in Homeland Security Affairs: The Journal of the NPS Center for Homeland Defense and Security.

Faculty Publication News: Dr. Edin Mujkic

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Dr. Edin Mujkic for getting his article "International military education and training: promoting democratic values to militaries and countries throughout the world" accepted in the journal Democracy and Security.

Faculty Publication News: Dr. Edin Mujkic & Dr. Don Klingner

Congratulations to MPA faculty, Distinguished Professor Dr. Don Klingner and Assistant Professor Dr. Edin Mujkic, for getting their article "Dieselgate: How hubris and bad leadership caused the biggest scandal in automotive history" accepted in the journal Public Integrity.

Faculty News: Dr. YongJei Lee Tapped as Prestigious Ethics Fellow

School Public Affairs' Assistant Professor, Dr. YongJei Lee, has been chosen to serve as a UCCS Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Faculty Fellow for 2018-2019.

New Graduate Dual Degree Program

We are pleased to announce the new Dual Masters-Public Administration & Sociology.

Read UCCS official announcement "UCCS creates new dual graduate program in public administration, sociology".

Outstanding Faculty Award: Rich Radabaugh

We are pleased and humbled to announce that Criminal Justice Senior Instructor Rich Radabaugh, Esq. has received the UCCS 2018 Outstanding Instructor Award!

Faculty News: YongJei Lee

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Dr. YongJei Lee for being selected as the UCCS faculty lead in the Compass Curriculum Assessment of Inclusiveness.

School of Public Affairs Scholarship

To celebrate UCCS' 50th Anniversary and to provide financial support for students, the UCCS School of Public Affairs Scholarship has been created to raise funds for student scholarships.

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