Elling Fund supports education in public administration
Following his retirement from a 35-year career as a member of the Department of Political Science, and the core faculty of the department's graduate program in public administration, Professor Emeritus Richard Elling established the Elling Fund for Public Administration Educational Enhancement. It has been established as a matching grant challenge.
Through 2018, Dr. Elling has pledged to match the first $3,000 in annual contributions by others on a dollar-for-dollar basis. During the first 16 months of the Fund's existence, alumni, current students, faculty, and friends of the graduate program in public administration responded by contributing more than $8,000.
Monies contributed to the Elling Fund are used to support the day-to-day operations of the graduate program in ways that enhance the educational experience of students in the program; to support the recruitment of new students, and to build and maintain relationships with alumni of the program. More specifically, fund dollars will be used to employ part-time administrative personnel, identify internship opportunities for students, and provide partial support for a student undertaking an uncompensated internship that will enhance the student's professional development.
Funds may also be used to underwrite a portion of the costs of special events to enhance the educational experience of M.P.A. students, better link the program with its alumni, and promote wider community recognition of the work of the graduate program in public administration. Finally, fund dollars may be used to subsidize the costs for students to attend professional meetings and conferences.
The expenditure of Elling Fund dollars commenced in the fall of 2015 with the hiring of current M.P.A. student Kaitlin Schaefer as the assistant to program director Dr. Brady Baybeck. Ms. Schaefer works with Dr. Baybeck on a range of activities designed to enhance the quality of education that the program provides to its students.
If you wish to contribute to the Elling Fund you can do so by mailing a check to:
WSU Fund Office
5700 Cass Avenue, Suite 1200
Detroit, MI 48202
Or follow visit go.wayne.edu/give-mpa and designate "Elling Fund." All contributions are tax-deductible on your federal income tax return.