Public Administration and Policy is happy to announce Ben Ayres as February MPA Student of the Month!

Ben is a second year student in the MPA program, graduating this May. Since he began the program, Ben has been a Teaching Assistant for the Intro to American Government political science class, and has gotten the opportunity to learn all about American and Georgian political processes with his students.

Last summer, Ben interned with the Government Accountability Office in Atlanta and participated in an ongoing assessment of FEMA’s disaster preparedness. He focused primarily on the allocation methodology used when distributing preparedness grants from FEMA to state and local partners.

Prior to attending UGA, Ben studied Sociology at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, worked in the Medicaid Division at the State of Michigan, and eventually moved to Athens when his partner started a Ph.D program at the Warnell School at UGA. During this time, Ben worked for the Georgia Department of Corrections, and conducted program evaluations and staff trainings designed to reduce recidivism at correctional facilities across the state.

Outside of the MPA program, Ben enjoys camping and hiking, visiting his family in New Hampshire and New York, and coaches the UGA men’s club ultimate frisbee team.

Congratulations Ben!