University of Connecticut |
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James Welcome, MPA 2000Attorney, Law Offices of James A. Welcome
How did you find yourself in the MPA program? One of my favorite classes in UConn undergraduate school was constitutional law with Professor Bob Gilmour. Following undergraduate school, I discussed with Bob Gilmour an opportunity to do a dual degree with a JD and MPA. At the time (1998) I was very interested in pursuing a career in economic and community development. I believed that the UConn MPA program was the only program in the state that offered a professional education in this regard. Going into my second year of the MPA program, I decided to postpone my law degree because I wanted to enter AmeriCorps. My goal at the time was to complete my MPA and get a job with a non-profit group doing community economic development. When I graduated in 2000 with my MPA, I signed up to be an AmeriCorps vista leader. The goal of AmeriCorps-vista was to create a sustainable program for a nonprofit community organization to help it grow in accordance with its mission. I look very fondly upon my years in the MPA program and I am especially grateful for the guidance of professors like Bob Gilmour and Dave Walker during my time there. I believe the training that I received as an MPA student at UConn provided me with critical analytical skills that have benefitted me in my legal career. I also cherish the personal relationships that I developed while in the MPA program. What do you do now for work? Currently I am a lawyer in private practice with offices in Waterbury and Danbury, Connecticut. I plan on opening an office in New Britain in 2009. Most of my practice is dedicated to representing the rights of individuals in immigration proceedings and in criminal court. I also represent individuals in personal injury actions who are victims of the negligent acts of others. I guess my favorite thing about my job is that I can go to work each morning knowing that people depend on me to make a difference in their lives. This often just means returning their lives back to normal after something traumatic has happened. It’s not pie in the sky work; it is just working hard to fix problems. My job also means asking people the all-important question: what is your goal and how can I help you get there? What is your greatest challenge in your working situation now? I think my greatest problem is one that a lot of people my age share. I find that it is difficult to maintain the balance between work and family life. I am married with three children. As a person who is self-employed, it is difficult to feel comfortable leaving work sometimes at 5pm when everyone else does. How does your MPA degree help you on a daily basis? What skills do you directly use? While I didn’t chose a path directly related to public administration, the skills that I learned while in the UConn MPA program help me day to day. I noticed the biggest difference between undergraduate school and graduate school was independence and self. We were told as grad students exactly what was expected of us by the end of the semester. It was up to the student to reach his or her own goals. Analytical skills and self-starting come to mind immediately. I also believe the professional relationship with my peers was an integral part of my education at UConn. What advice would you give to a current student in the MPA program? Where do you see yourself going in the future? |
