On Friday, September 5, the School of Public Policy held its 2025 Fall Kickoff event in the Old Chapel on the UMass Amherst campus. SPP welcomed Mayor Mike Nicholson, MPP '17, as the keynote speaker. Mayor Nicholson addressed the crowd of over 100 attendees on the importance of utilizing data, law, and policy for effective decision-making in public service positions. When drawing on his experience as mayor of Gardner, MA, Nicholson also discussed the importance of both raising and prioritizing the voice of constituents and stakeholders in such positions.
We also welcomed alumni Nia Johnson (MPPA/MEd '23, Senior Community Engagement Coordinator at the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office), Michelle Trim (MS in DACSS '25, SIGCAS Chair at ACM Computers and Society & UMass Amherst Senior Lecturer II), and Jessica Avery (MPPA '22, Director of Advocacy at the Cooperative Credit Union Association, Inc.) for a panel discussion covering a variety of topics including AI in the public workspace, challenges and opportunities in their subfields, and advice for students as they embark on their academic journeys.
SPP is incredibly grateful to our alumni for their wonderful advice and for sharing their time and experiences with us last Friday as we embark on a new and promising academic year at UMass Amherst.
Pictures from the 2025 SPP Kickoff
