Penn's Fels Institute of Government

Congratulations to the Fels Class of 2026! 🎓

We were proud to celebrate this year’s graduates as they marked a major milestone at the National Constitution Center on May 17. The ceremony featured student remarks from Mário Da Costa (MPA ’26) and Peter Urscheler (EMPA ’26), along with an inspiring keynote address from Al Schmidt, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

As they join the ranks of Fels alumni, these graduates bring dedication and drive to public leadership across sectors and communities. We can’t wait to see where they go from here!

A major milestone for our EMPA 2026 cohort, capstone presentations showcased their applied work on issues like consumer protection, regional economic development, and Pennsylvania’s growing biotech sector, alongside a range of public sector challenges. 📊 The Fels community came together to celebrate at our April networking reception!

Last day of classes for our MPA Class of 2026 is in the books! 📚 We are so proud of the work this cohort has put in this year as they prepare for their next steps in public service ahead.

Pictured (L-R): Sean Murray, Will McCullough, Mário Da Costa, Kirk Rankin, and Rayven Jones Bowser.

We look forward to celebrating at Fels Graduation in a few weeks!

📸: Mário Da Costa

The Fels Institute of Government is pleased to announce that Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt will deliver the keynote address at the Fels Class of 2026 graduation ceremony.

Secretary Schmidt became Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Commonwealth in June 2023 and has spent his career working in nonpartisan and bipartisan environments. Prior to his appointment, he was president and CEO of the Committee of Seventy, a nonpartisan good-government organization. He previously served for 10 years as an elected Philadelphia City Commissioner and vice chairman of the bipartisan Board of Elections, where he focused on improving government transparency, expanding voter access, and strengthening election integrity.

We look forward to celebrating the Fels Class of 2026! Read more at the link below.

Join us for the next Public Policy in Practice event featuring Patrick J. Murphy, Executive Director of the Hilco Global Geopolitical Unit, former U.S. Congressman, and former Acting Secretary of the Army.

In conversation with Fels Distinguished Fellow Elizabeth Vale, Murphy will speak about his work across government and the private sector, including advising organizations on geopolitical risk and how those perspectives inform decision-making in public policy.

The event will take place virtually on April 7 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET.

Learn more and register:

Fels Public Policy in Practice Speaker Series with Elizabeth Vale featuring Patrick J. Murphy | Fels Institute of Government The Fels Institute of Government prepares the next generation of public and nonprofit leaders with an education in public administration.

Applications close April 1 for our Executive MPA program's Fall 2026 start! Join a cohort of experienced leaders advancing their impact across government and nonprofit sectors.

🔗: fels.upenn.edu/admissions/executive-mpa-admissions

A group of Fels MPA and Executive MPA students spent spring break at Penn Washington in Washington, DC for the International Policy and Security Seminar.

Taught by Michael Cecire, security and defense researcher at the RAND Corporation, this elective connects students with practitioners across national security and foreign policy while engaging core questions about the international order and its implications for trade, politics, and security.

Over the week, students worked through contemporary policy challenges, met with speakers from across government and the private sector, and visited the Estonian Embassy, alongside spending time across Washington.

📷: Lawrence Moore, EMPA '26

While working on Capitol Hill, Olivia Kirchberg ’23 came to Fels to deepen her academic understanding of policymaking and strengthen the quantitative skills behind her work in Congress. Traveling monthly to Philadelphia from Washington, DC, she joined a supportive Executive MPA cohort without stepping away from her federal career.

Today, she applies that training on the Hill, approaching her work in new ways and bringing stronger analytical tools to the policymaking process. Read more:

Olivia Kirchberg | Fels Institute of Government The Fels Institute of Government prepares the next generation of public and nonprofit leaders with an education in public administration.

The Fels Institute of Government is proud to partner with the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) at the 2026 FORUM in Philadelphia, including sponsoring this year’s Student Research Poster Contest.

Congratulations to Kennedy Perry ’26 on earning second place in the poster competition featuring students from across the country. We also thank faculty director Lauren Russell, Matt Stitt ’12, and Ebony Wortham ’22 for their service as judges.

If you are attending FORUM, be sure to stop by the Fels booth to connect with Marlon Lewis, Assistant Director of Student Services, and learn more about us!

We had a great start to the morning at Fels with a small group breakfast conversation on public/private partnerships featuring Distinguished Fellow Dennis Mahoney and Jason Peters, CEO of Amazi Water.

Jason shared how Amazi is working with communities in Burundi to deliver sustainable, solar-powered clean water systems at scale, an example of how governments and partners can collaborate to expand essential services.

Thank you to Dennis and Jason for an engaging discussion on what effective collaborations looks like in practice to benefit the public good.