Askew School at FSU

Assistant Professor Minyoung Ku, Ph.D., of FSU’s Reubin O’D. Askew School of Public Administration & Policy at Florida State University was the lead author of “Where do uninsured patients go? The paradox of collaborative network dynamics in interhospital transfers” published in Social Science & Medicine in May 2026, with fellow researchers FSU doctoral student Jinyoung Cha, and Arnold L. & Priscilla Moss Greenfield Endowed Professor Keon-Hyung Lee, Ph.D. The study examines the subtle ways that interhospital collaboration dynamics shape where patients are transferred, with a focus on differences across payer groups.

To study this topic, the team analyzed daily inpatient transfers among 159 general acute-care hospitals in Florida from 2018 through 2021, using Relational Event Modeling (REM), a method that captures how relationships between hospitals develop and change over time, to evaluate how the interhospital collaboration dynamics differed between insured and uninsured patients.

“My research helps to advance our understanding of how patient transfer systems work, from identifying empirical patterns of transfers to revealing the mechanisms behind them, bridging theoretical perspectives from multiple disciplines, including organization management, public policy, sociology, and public health,” Dr. Ku said. “Theoretically, the study also extends the discussion of the ‘dark sides’ of social capital and embeddedness into the domain of public value creation in healthcare, by showing that different stories may emerge when we look at seemingly well-operating systems from a different, more systemwide perspective.”

To learn more about the teams’ work, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/research-spotlight-minyoung-ku

This year, the News Service of Florida (NSFL) honored 5 Alumni from FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (COSSPP) in their annual “50 Over 50” article, which was released on April 20.

The publication recognizes 50 individuals over 50 years of age who have used their leadership, achievements, and strong dedication to improve Florida’s wellbeing across energy, government, healthcare and higher education domains.

Of the 50 individuals distinguished in the article, 5 were COSSPP Alumni: Charles C. Hart IV; Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp; James Murdaugh, Ph.D.; Cari Roth, J.D.; and Jamie Wilson, DBA. Recognized for their outstanding contributions to the state, they were featured in the publication and invited to the News Service of Florida 50 Over 50 Reception held on April 22.

To read more, visit https://cosspp.fsu.edu/five-cosspp-alumni-honored-in-2026-news-service-of-floridas-50-over-50/

Jami Kliner – an FSU alumna (B.S. Political Science '25) and current Master of Public Administration (MPA) student at the Reubin O'D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy – is making the most of COSSPP's Combined Pathways program to fast-track her graduate education while building on more than 20 years of public service experience.

Through Combined Pathways, which allows undergraduate students to take coursework that counts toward both a bachelor's and a master's degree, Kliner began earning MPA credits as an undergraduate. Now a full-time MPA student, she is on track to graduate in Spring 2027.

Kliner first enrolled at FSU in the 1990s but stepped away in 1999 before completing her degree. She returned in 2022, and the decision to come back proved to be transformative.

"Coming back to FSU later in life, while balancing a full-time career and family responsibilities, has been both challenging and incredibly rewarding," Kliner said. "This experience has been meaningful because it allowed me to finish what I started and to approach my education with a new level of focus and purpose."

To read more, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/alumni-spotlight-jami-kliner

Florida State University Assistant Professor of Public Administration and Policy Ene Ikpebe, Ph.D., co-authored “Challenges and Opportunities for Cervical Cancer Prevention Through HPV Vaccination in Ghana: A Public Health Policy Analysis.” The article examines the barriers and opportunities shaping Ghana’s adoption of a national HPV vaccination program and the role of HPV vaccination in cervical cancer prevention.

“It would be useful for researchers to conduct similar studies on the challenges to HPV vaccination in other countries,” Ikpebe said. “It would also be helpful to address follow-up questions about how reception to HPV vaccination varies across subpopulations such as teenagers, young adults, and older women.”

To read more, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/research-spotlight-challenges-and-opportunities-for-cervical-cancer-prevention-through-hpv-vaccination-in-ghana-a-public-health-policy-analysis

The final deadline to apply for Fall 2026 admission into our graduate programs is July 1!

The Askew School offers the top-rated master’s degree in public administration in Florida, and one of the highest-rated in the Southeast.

To learn more about the Askew School, visit askew.fsu.edu

The College of Social Sciences and Public Policy has announced its 2026 Faculty Research, Teaching, and Service Award recipients.

Flowing from the COSSPP Strategic Plan, the college has developed a COSSPP Faculty Awards Series to honor high-achieving faculty in the areas of teaching, research, and service.

“It’s a great privilege to recognize 10 outstanding faculty members with this year’s awards,” said Dean Tim Chapin. “Their dedication and contributions reflect the strength of our college’s commitment to research, teaching, and service.”

Out of numerous nominees, the Faculty Awards Committee selected the following faculty to receive these honors (from top left to bottom right):

Ziqi Li, Matt Brooks, Carlisle Rainey, Keon-Hyung Lee, Katie Sherron, Alexandra Cockerham, John Reynolds, Meaghan McSorley, Simona Andrei, John Felkner.

To read more, visit the link in our bio (tr.ee/dfzAA4NcGY)!

A Florida State University master’s student and Presidential Scholar was accepted into a highly competitive national fellowship program for emerging civic leaders.

Ella Garcia, who is working toward her master’s degree in public administration, was accepted into the Coro Fellows Program housed at University of Missouri-St. Louis.

The Coro Fellows Program was founded in 1947 in San Francisco to train young World War II veterans in civic leadership skills. It now operates four centers in St. Louis, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, where it serves to advance civic engagement and accelerate the careers of those in public affairs.

To read more, visit https://cosspp.fsu.edu/fsu-student-invited-to-nationally-competitive-coro-fellows-program-for-emerging-public-affairs-leaders/

Brooke Martin—Master of Public Administration (MPA) student with FSU’s Reubin O’D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy—recently received the Hoffman Public Service Award at the Gubernatorial Fellows Reception, held at the Governor’s Mansion on April 14, 2026.

The award recognizes former Florida Gubernatorial Fellows who have continued their careers in public service after completing the program. The Florida Gubernatorial Fellows Program provides graduate and undergraduate students with hands-on experience in public service and policymaking by immersing them in influential areas of state government.

“It was a meaningful recognition, especially as my work with the Florida Division of Emergency Management has allowed me to continue supporting Florida communities before, during, and after disasters,” Martin said. “I chose Florida State University for its strong public administration program and its location in the state capital, which offers direct exposure to policymaking. The program’s focus on practical, applied learning aligns closely with my work in public service.”

To read more, visit https://cosspp.fsu.edu/student-spotlight-brooke-martin/

This summer, delve into the nature of qualitative research designs with PAD 5708, taught by Dr. Tracy Banner! The class covers policy development, program auditing, data collection, and more!

To learn more about this course and others offered this summer, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/askew/course-offerings

To learn more about the Askew School, visit askew.fsu.edu

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Learn more at the link in our bio (give.fsu.edu/cosspp)!