Villanova University, which offers a master of public administration (MPA) degree with a focus on values, ethics, and creative leadership, recently joined ICMA's Strategic Partner Program. As partners, Villanova and ICMA will focus on encouraging the next generation of students to consider pursuing careers in the local government management profession.

“Villanova has been an active part of the ICMA community for some time, most recently through its participation in ICMA’s Life, Well Run public awareness campaign video contest,” said Executive Director Robert J. O’Neill Jr.  “ICMA is fortunate to partner with an academic leader such as Villanova that is committed to preparing our future local government leaders. We look forward to working closely with them in the months and years ahead.”

In 2014, Villanova's ICMA student chapter, Unitas, received first-place recognition by ICMA for its submission to the Life, Well Run student video contest. The video aired during ICMA’s 100th Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, in September 2014.

Villanova University’s Master of Public Administration Program is a graduate degree program focused on providing students with the knowledge of values, roles, skills, and practices that will help them become competent professionals capable of ethical, intelligent, and creative leadership in public service. Fully accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), the Villanova MPA degree is offered in the traditional campus setting as well as online through a partnership with BISK Education.

“We are thrilled to become a strategic partner with ICMA, especially with our ICMA student chapter winning the Life, Well Run video contest in 2014,” said Dr. Catherine Wilson, associate professor and interim chair of the Department of Public Administration at Villanova University. “Through this strategic partnership, Villanova’s MPA Program remains committed to finding ways to provide opportunities for our students to gain exposure to the field of local government and to become ethical and competent public administrators at the local level.”