Advancing in Government Affairs: Why an MPA Degree Was the Missing Piece

For professionals already working in public service, career growth often requires more than experience alone. It takes a deeper understanding of how policies are shaped, how organizations operate, and how different sectors work together.

After earning his bachelor’s degree from UIC, Julio Hernandez built his career across organizations like the Social Security Administration, Chicago Public Schools, and the Chicago Housing Authority. While he had built a strong foundation, he recognized a gap between his experience and where he wanted to go next. As he describes it, he had everything in place, but needed “the bow on top,” which led him to pursue an MPA degree.

UIC’s Online Master of Public Administration offered a flexible, online path that allowed him to continue working while gaining the knowledge and skills needed to grow in his field. Today, he serves as Manager of Advocacy and Policy for the American Association of Endodontists, where he works on government affairs at both the state and federal levels.

In the spotlight below, Julio Hernandez shares how earning his MPA degree helped him connect his experience to long-term career advancement.

Balancing Full-Time Work, Life Changes, and an Online MPA at UIC

While I was in the program, I was working full-time and also going through major life changes. I went from being a fiancé to a husband, and I was transitioning into a new professional role.

The online format made everything manageable. Instead of being tied to a classroom in the evenings, I could structure my time in a way that worked for me.

Sometimes that meant getting ahead in coursework. Other times, it meant using downtime during the workday to stay on top of assignments. I built a routine that allowed me to keep up with both work and school while still having my weekends free. That level of flexibility allowed me to do both without feeling overwhelmed.

Developing Skills at UIC That Translate Directly to the Workplace

The biggest skills I developed in UIC’s Online MPA program were strategic planning, budgeting, and stakeholder engagement, and I now use all three in my current role.

1. Strategic Planning

Planning is really about setting the vision. In my role, I work with my assistant executive director to help build our strategic plan and identify how we’ll reach those goals. That includes developing key progress indicators and milestones over the next few years, especially to enhance advocacy and ensure the public understands the work our members are doing. That’s something I was introduced to in PA 571: Nonprofit Management. It gave me a clearer understanding of how leadership and boards think about planning and how those long-term goals are structured.

2. Budgeting

PA 550: Advanced Topics in Financial Analysis and Management gave me a strong foundation in budgeting. I’m not working with billion-dollar budgets, but I do build and submit my own budget proposals and understand how those decisions connect back to the larger strategic plan. It helped me see how allocating funds isn’t just about numbers. It’s about making sure everything ties back to what the organization is trying to achieve.

3. Stakeholder Engagement

This is one of the most important skills I use. It’s about understanding how people work, getting everyone to collaborate, and making sure all perspectives are heard.

The program helped me learn how to read the room, manage different viewpoints, and bring conversations back to a place where people can move forward together. Whether I’m working with internal teams or external partners on advocacy issues, that ability to listen and build consensus is critical.

Applying Coursework to Real-World Public and Nonprofit Work

One course that stood out to me was PA 571: Nonprofit Management, taught by Professor Taylor. We worked on developing a 90-day plan for an organization and presenting it as if to a board of directors. That experience gave me a clear understanding of what boards expect and how to communicate effectively at that level. It also strengthened my writing. Even now, as I prepare leadership materials, I can see how that assignment directly applies.

That was one of the most valuable parts of the program. It gave me practical experience I could immediately use in my work.

Gaining a Broader Perspective on Public Service

Looking back, the program really changed how I think about public service and impact. One of the biggest things was hearing classmates’ different perspectives. People came from healthcare, housing, state government, and other areas. Even though we were all working in different spaces, everything still fell under the same umbrella of public administration.

It challenged me to think differently about how impact shows up in each role. Every role looks different, but at the end of the day, the goal is the same: making a difference. Those conversations helped me see how everything connects. Whether someone is working at the city level, in healthcare, or in a nonprofit, we’re all contributing to public service in different ways. The program really gave me a broader understanding of that and pushed me to consider perspectives I hadn’t before.

Preparing for an Evolving Field in Public Administration

Public administration is constantly evolving, and one of the biggest changes right now is the role of AI. In the program, professors allowed us to engage with AI thoughtfully. It wasn’t about relying on it, but understanding how to use it as a tool.

In my field, especially in advocacy and government affairs, AI is already shaping how work gets done. From what I’ve seen, it’s best used as an assistant. It can help you get started, but you still need the skills to guide, refine, and make it meaningful.

AI is enhancing the workforce, but I don’t think it will eliminate public administration. But one thing I’ve heard, even from my executive leadership, is that if you’re not open to using AI, someone who is will replace your role. That’s why being willing to learn and adapt is so important. The foundation from UIC’s MPA degree is what helps you use tools like AI effectively and stay relevant as the field continues to evolve.

Advice for Future Students Considering an MPA Degree

Having work experience made a difference in how I approached the program and how I contributed to discussions. Even if someone doesn’t have direct experience in public administration, finding ways to gain exposure, like internships or part-time roles, can really help. The online format makes that possible. You can work, gain experience, and apply what you’re learning at the same time.

When you have that experience, you’re able to relate it to your coursework, contribute more to discussions, and think more critically about the questions being asked. You’re not just learning the material, you’re actively connecting it to real situations.