On Tuesday, September 14th, eleven members of local governments around Austin delivered presentations via Zoom to more than 70 students, many of whom belonged to the political science and public administration programs. The event was sponsored by Texas City and County Management Association (TCMA) and Government Finance Officers Association of Texas (GFOAT). This event was coordinated by the Public Administration program specifically for Texas State University students in association with Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL), a professional organization designed to “engage the brightest minds in local government… with the objective of fostering authentic and meaningful connections that are grounded in practices of equity and inclusion.”
The event, as part of ELGL’s #ELGLINSPIRE series, focused on “inspir[ing] students to pursue local government careers.” To this end, the presenters focused on “the challenges and opportunities in each sector of local government.” Additionally, students had the opportunity to interact in small groups with local government leaders, allowing them to make professional connections and ask questions about areas of interest including city management, finance, and public works. Finally, the event concluded with an hour-long presentation on “Next Steps,” which sought to instruct interested students on how to find work in local government or pursue pertinent graduate degrees.
The event was met with exceptionally positive reviews from attendees. When asked what their favorite part of the event was, one student replied: “Can I say – everything!? I enjoyed listening to… each of the speakers. It was truly inspiring.” Furthermore, one student noted that “every speaker was effective,” while another singled-out Stephanie Reyes, Assistant City Manager of San Marcos: “she reminds me of one of my coworkers – clear, concise, and genuine. You could tell, she just stands out.”
