Matthew Hart, MPA 1998, JD 1998

Town Manager, Mansfield, CT

When Matthew Hart was researching higher education he sought out a dual degree program. The University of Connecticut was the perfect fit for him to pursue his Master of Public Administration and Law degree (JD) simultaneously. In his second year as a student, Matt accepted an internship working for the Town of Windsor. He enjoyed this experience so much that he is still working in local government.         

Today Matt is Town Manager of Mansfield, CT. His responsibilities include supporting the Town Council’s policies, overseeing administrative operations and delivery of municipal services, ensuring municipal employees have essential training and resources, and working with other stakeholders to identify and achieve a vision for the community. Matt coins his job a “true generalist profession,” since the scope is broad, and no day is like the one before it.

Matt, a 1998 graduate, believes his MPA degree serves him daily in his eclectic list of duties. “The Master of Public Administration is an applied degree. You learn how to do certain facets of a job, not just the theory, although theory is also important. You learn human resources, budgeting, financial administration, performance measures, program evaluation, essential writing skills, and how to work in a team. They are all applicable skills . . . With my MPA I could take on any number of opportunities in public administration,” explained Matt.
           
Matt recognizes that his job certainly presents its share of challenges.  One hurdle he continues to improve upon is time management. “You must learn how to prioritize and delegate. You really need to decide what you want to spend your time on,” Matt suggested.
           
Challenges do not end there. Matt recommends that “once you have graduated you must work hard to stay abreast of best practices in your field. Get involved in a professional organization or association. Learn all you can from those relationships. It makes you a better practitioner. We are always learning. It doesn’t matter if you have five years or thirty years of experience, there is always more to learn.”
           
Matt sees the successes of the MPA program in his daily labors. “I am very proud of our MPA program- the students, faculty, and alumni advisory board,” said Matt who is finishing his term as President of the MPA Alumni Advisory Board. Matt was the recipient of the second “Distinguished Alumni” award and is also President of UConn Pi Alpha Alpha, the national MPA honor society.