The School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia continues to rank among the leading institutions for public service education, earning top marks in both national and international assessments.
In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report graduate rankings, SPIA placed No. 5 (tied) overall in Public Affairs, reaffirming its position among the country’s top public affairs graduate programs. SPIA also earned strong specialty rankings across core areas, including No. 3 (tied) in Public Budgeting and Finance, as well as Public Management and Leadership, and No. 4 in Local Government Management. Additionally, SPIA moved up six positions to No. 12 (tied) in Nonprofit Management.
SPIA’s national reputation is complemented by its growing global standing. In the 2025 ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, SPIA’s public administration program ranked among the top ten worldwide and was recognized as the highest-ranked public institution in the United States in the field—highlighting the school’s international influence in research and teaching.
Together, these rankings reflect a milestone for SPIA. As the school marks its 25th anniversary and the Master of Public Administration program celebrates 60 years of educating public service leaders, SPIA’s continued national and global recognition underscores the strength of its foundation and the relevance of its mission.
Awards and Honors
SPIA’s excellence is further reflected in the awards and honors earned by its faculty and students. That distinction was on full display at the recent annual meeting of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), where J. Edward Kellough, department head and Thomas P. and M. Jean Lauth Professor of Public Affairs, received the 2026 Paul P. Van Riper Award for Excellence and Service—one of ASPA’s most prestigious honors. The award recognizes a sustained record of professional achievement, leadership, and commitment to public service.
That recognition was reinforced by a second honor for Kellough: his most recent book, The Fragility of Merit: Presidential Power and the Civil Service under Trump, was selected for the annual book award from the ASPA Section on Personnel and Labor Relations.
Further, Eric Zeemering, professor of public administration and director of the Master of Public Administration program, was named the recipient of ASPA’s Donald C. Stone Scholar Award from the Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management, recognizing sustained and influential contributions to the study of intergovernmental relations.
Student and Alumni Success
SPIA’s commitment to public service excellence is perhaps most clearly reflected in the accomplishments of its students and alumni, who are translating classroom learning into leadership, innovation, and community impact across sectors.
That preparation is evident in the success of current MPA student and Ralston Scholar Brooke Curran, who was recently selected as a finalist for the highly competitive ICMA Local Government Management Fellowship. Curran spent her Ralston-funded internship in rural Georgia working in the capital projects division of Lumpkin County, where she gained hands-on experience with how local government decisions directly shape communities.
SPIA students also bring global perspectives and applied experience into their public service work. Rakib Avi, current MPA student, draws on more than a decade of leadership at BRAC—one of the world’s largest NGOs—where he worked across social innovation, policy, and technology. Avi’s trajectory reflects SPIA’s emphasis on connecting global experience with practical policy impact. Watch his testimonial here.
Alumni are similarly advancing innovation and leadership in communities nationwide. Shayla Lee (MPA ’21) recipient of the Early Career Leadership Award in Memory of William H. Hansell Jr., leads the Strategic and Government Affairs Department for the City of Sugar Land, where her work has strengthened accountability, organizational culture, and employee well-being.
As Director of Parks and Recreation for Gwinnett County, current student Chris Minor oversees a $67 million operating budget and more than $750 million in capital projects, while expanding adaptive and outdoor recreation programs that improve quality of life for residents. He chose the UGA MPA program at Gwinnett to deepen his expertise as a working professional, reinforcing SPIA’s role in supporting leaders at every stage of their careers. Read more about his career here.
SPIA’s emphasis on inclusive public service is embodied by Ava Gilbert (AB ’25) and MPA candidate, whose work centers on accessibility and equity. Gilbert currently serves as UGA’s first Digital Accessibility graduate assistant, collaborating across campus to improve emergency communication tools and inclusive teaching practices. Read her story here.
SPIA students also earned national recognition for their scholarly contributions. At the 2026 ASPA Conference, current PhD student, Nayeong Kim, was awarded the 2026 SKPA Best Student Paper Award for her dissertation-based research, “Whose Merit Matters: Politicization and Favoritism in Personnel Selection.” Additionally, PhD student Rebekah Lankford was selected as an ASPA Founders’ Fellow for the Class of 2026—an honor that supports emerging leaders committed to the future of public administration.
Publications and Research
SPIA’s research enterprise continues to shape policy and practice at the local, national, and international levels—advancing new evidence on how governments serve communities, allocate resources, and support the public workforce.
One recent example, published in Public Administration by Michelle Lofton, associate professor of public administration and policy, examines the challenges governments face when implementing participatory budgeting as a mechanism to advance social equity. The study identifies key administrative and political barriers that can limit equitable outcomes and offers a practical framework for designing more sustainable and inclusive participatory systems.
Building on that focus on participation and equity, SPIA research has advanced understanding of civic engagement and volunteering in the United States. A study examining patterns of secular volunteering in the American South finds that strong civic infrastructure—such as the presence of nonprofits, congregations, and community organizations—does not translate into volunteering in the same way it does in other regions. Professor Rebecca Nesbitt and her coauthor drew on county-level data to show that organizational density alone explains only a small portion of the South’s persistent volunteering gap. The study offers important insights for policymakers and nonprofit leaders seeking to strengthen civic participation, emphasizing that effective engagement strategies must account for regional civic cultures rather than relying solely on organizational expansion.
At the same time, SPIA scholarship is examining the people who make public services possible. A recent series of studies from Bradley E. Wright, professor of public administration and policy, find that public service employees who experience greater meaning in their work are significantly less likely to experience burnout, providing timely insights for public organizations grappling with high-stress environments and workforce retention challenges.
SPIA research is also informing high-stakes public health and policy debates nationwide. A study examining medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries by Felipe Lozano-Rojas, assistant professor of public administration and policy, finds that increased access is associated with meaningful reductions in opioid prescription rates—work that complements the research many SPIA faculty are conducting on how policy choices shape public well-being.
Together, these rankings, honors, and research contributions underscore SPIA’s enduring commitment to excellence in public service education. Through rigorous scholarship, nationally recognized faculty, and research that directly engages the most pressing challenges facing governments and communities, SPIA continues to advance knowledge, inform policy, and prepare the next generation of public service leaders.
