An awards ceremony honoring graduates of the inaugural class of Jackson State University’s Institute of Government’s Public Management and Leadership Certificate Program (PML) will be held Thursday, Dec. 10. The ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. at JSU’s Downtown Campus.
PML provides professional development for middle management and lower-level supervisors employed in public sector and government organizations. The three-month intensive program is designed to give participants a greater sense of their purpose within an organization while arming them with the knowledge and skills they need to help the organization thrive.
“When an organization invests strategically in the development of its middle management and lower-level supervisors, the entire organization benefits. Unfortunately, few professional development opportunities are available for this segment of the workforce,” said Dr. Otha Burton Jr., a JSU associate professor and executive director of the Institute of Government.
“Research indicates that individuals in middle and lower-level leadership often lack clarity about their responsibilities and are not sufficiently knowledgeable about the purpose, mission, duty and accountability of their organizations,” Burton stated. “While there are many certification programs for employees in upper management, JSU was concerned about the dearth of learning opportunities for individuals who directly manage workers and take responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the organization.”
PML was created to address this concern. In classes taught by distinguished public service and higher education personnel, students develop a greater understanding of the role they play in helping their organizations to succeed. PML includes subject areas such as finance and budgeting for state and local government; human resource management; policy development, implementation, accountability and evaluation; conflict resolution; effective supervision and leadership; ethics and legal frameworks of public service organizations; and general public management issues.
Participants receive 45 contact hours of instruction and professional development in five areas selected to fit their profile. One subject is offered each three-week period for a total of nine contact hours per subject. The final week session includes evaluation and assessment.
“As a result of the training they received in PML, the students who completed our program are now better equipped to improve their organizations by managing more effectively and creating a more productive work environment,” Burton said.
Listed below are inaugural class members who will be recognized at the awards ceremony:
Mississippi Department of Transportation
Roderick Bailey, Public Transit Deputy Director
Tangela Beddingfield, Financial Reporting Manager
Hinds County Board of Supervisors/ Hinds County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and Emergency Operation Center (EOC)
Lure Berry, Budget Analyst
Lavonne Berryhill, Administrative Coordinator, EMA
Brandy Martin, Administrative Assistant, EMA
Joseph Perkins Jr., Assistant EOC Director
Mississippi Emergency Management Agency
Susan Perkins, Communications Bureau Director
City of Brandon
Adison Jones, Parks and Recreation Department
Jackson State University
Jason Brookins, Director, Center for University Based Development
Andrea Jones, Executive Director, JSU Online
Sherree Hooker, Executive Assistant, Office of the Provost
Ayanna Smith, Scholarship Advisor
Admission is open to applicants who are employed in a government or public/non-profit agency in a middle management or lower-level administrative position or are aspiring to move into such positions.
For more information, visit www.jsums.edu/instituteofgovernment.