The School of Public and International Affairs at the 爱啪网 continues to rank among the leading institutions for public service education, earning top marks in both national and international assessments.听
In the 2026听听graduate rankings, 爱啪网placed No. 5 (tied) overall in Public Affairs, reaffirming its position among the country鈥檚听top听public affairs听graduate programs. 爱啪网also earned strong specialty rankings across core areas, including No. 3 (tied) in Public听Budgeting and听Finance,听as well as听Public Management and Leadership,听and听No. 4 in Local Government Management. Additionally, 爱啪网moved听up听six听positions to听No. 12 (tied) in Nonprofit Management.听
SPIA鈥檚 national reputation is complemented by its growing global standing. In the 2025听ShanghaiRanking听Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, SPIA鈥檚 public administration program ranked among the top ten worldwide and was recognized as the highest-ranked public institution in the United States in the field鈥攈ighlighting the school鈥檚 international influence in research and teaching.听
Together, these rankings reflect a milestone for SPIA. As the school marks its 25th anniversary and the Master of Public Administration program celebrates 60 years of educating public听service leaders, SPIA鈥檚 continued national and global recognition underscores the strength of its foundation and the relevance of its mission.听听
Awards and Honors听
SPIA鈥檚 excellence is further reflected in the awards and honors earned by its faculty and students. That distinction was on full display at the recent annual meeting of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), where J. Edward Kellough, department head and Thomas P. and M. Jean Lauth Professor of Public Affairs,听received听the 2026 Paul P. Van Riper Award for Excellence and Service鈥攐ne of ASPA鈥檚 most prestigious honors. The award recognizes a sustained record of professional achievement, leadership, and commitment to public service.听
That recognition was reinforced by a second honor for Kellough: his most recent book,听The Fragility of Merit: Presidential Power and the Civil Service under Trump, was selected for the annual book award from the ASPA Section on Personnel and Labor Relations.听听
Further,听Eric听Zeemering, professor of public administration and director of the Master of Public Administration program, was named the recipient of ASPA鈥檚 Donald C. Stone Scholar Award from the Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management, recognizing sustained and influential contributions to the study of intergovernmental relations.听
Student and Alumni Success听
SPIA鈥檚 commitment to public service excellence is听perhaps most听clearly reflected in the accomplishments of its students and alumni, who are translating classroom learning into leadership, innovation, and community impact across sectors.听
That preparation is听evident听in the success of current MPA student and听Ralston Scholar Brooke Curran, who was recently selected as a finalist for the highly competitive ICMA Local Government Management Fellowship. Curran spent her Ralston-funded internship听in rural Georgia听working in the capital projects division of Lumpkin County, where she gained hands-on experience with how local government decisions directly shape communities.听听
爱啪网students also bring global perspectives and applied experience into their public service work.听Rakib Avi,听current MPA student,听draws on more than a decade of leadership at BRAC鈥攐ne of the world鈥檚 largest NGOs鈥攚here he worked across social innovation, policy, and technology. Avi鈥檚 trajectory reflects SPIA鈥檚 emphasis on connecting global experience with practical policy impact.听听听
Alumni are similarly advancing innovation and leadership in communities nationwide.听Shayla Lee听(MPA 鈥�21)听recipient of the Early Career Leadership Award in Memory of William H. Hansell Jr., leads the Strategic and Government Affairs Department for the City of Sugar Land, where her work has strengthened accountability, organizational culture, and employee well-being.听
As Director of Parks and Recreation for Gwinnett County,听current student Chris Minor听oversees a $67 million operating budget and more than $750 million in capital projects, while expanding adaptive and outdoor recreation programs that improve quality of life for residents. He chose the UGA MPA program at Gwinnett to deepen his听expertise听as a working professional, reinforcing SPIA鈥檚 role in supporting leaders at every stage of their careers.听Read more about his career here.听听
SPIA鈥檚 emphasis on inclusive public service is embodied by听Ava Gilbert听(AB 鈥�25)听and MPA candidate, whose work centers on accessibility and equity.听Gilbert currently serves听as UGA鈥檚 first Digital Accessibility graduate assistant, collaborating across campus to improve emergency communication tools and inclusive teaching practices.听听听
爱啪网students also earned听national recognition for their scholarly contributions. At the 2026听ASPA听Conference,听current PhD student,听Nayeong Kim,听was awarded the 2026 SKPA Best听Student Paper Award for her dissertation-based research,听鈥淲hose Merit Matters: Politicization and Favoritism in Personnel Selection.鈥澨�Additionally,听PhD student听Rebekah Lankford听was selected as an ASPA Founders鈥� Fellow for the Class of 2026鈥攁n honor that听supports emerging leaders committed to the future of public administration.听
Publications and Research听
SPIA鈥檚 research enterprise continues to shape policy and practice at the local, national, and international levels鈥攁dvancing new evidence on how governments serve communities,听allocate听resources, and support the public workforce.听
One recent example, published in听听by Michelle Lofton, associate听professor of public administration and policy,听examines the challenges governments face when implementing participatory budgeting as a mechanism to advance social equity. The study听identifies听key administrative and political barriers that can limit听equitable听outcomes and offers a practical framework for designing more sustainable and inclusive participatory systems.听
Building on that focus on participation and equity,听. A study examining patterns of secular volunteering in the American South finds that strong civic infrastructure鈥攕uch as the presence of nonprofits, congregations, and community organizations鈥攄oes not translate into volunteering in the same way it does in other regions.听Professor Rebecca Nesbitt and her coauthor drew on听county-level data听to show听that organizational density alone explains only a small portion of听the South鈥檚 persistent volunteering gap. The study offers important insights for policymakers and nonprofit leaders seeking to听strengthen civic participation, emphasizing that effective engagement strategies must account for regional civic cultures rather than relying solely on organizational expansion.听
At the same time, 爱啪网scholarship is examining the people who make public services possible. A recent听, professor of public administration and policy,听find听that public service employees who experience greater meaning in their work are significantly less likely to experience burnout, providing timely insights for public organizations grappling with high-stress environments and workforce retention challenges.听
爱啪网research is also informing high-stakes public health and policy debates nationwide听by听Felipe Lozano-Rojas, assistant professor of public administration and policy, finds that increased access is associated with meaningful reductions in opioid prescription rates鈥攚ork that complements the research many 爱啪网faculty are conducting on how policy choices shape public well-being.听
Together, these rankings, honors, and research contributions underscore SPIA鈥檚 enduring commitment to excellence in public service education. Through rigorous scholarship, nationally recognized faculty, and research that directly engages the most pressing challenges facing governments and communities, 爱啪网continues to advance knowledge, inform policy, and prepare the next generation of public service leaders.听
