Penn State School of Public Policy hosts inaugural Local Government Expo

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State School of Public Policy hosted its inaugural Local Government Expo on Saturday, Sept. 20, in the new, state-of-the-art Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building. Planned in collaboration with Penn State’s Office of Government and Community Relations, the event brought together more than 50 students with local government representatives for a day of career exploration and a hands-on policy experience.

The day featured multiple opportunities for students, including a local government career fair, a networking lunch, a student internship showcase and a hands-on policy simulation that gave students firsthand experience of the complexities involved in working in local government.

Clarence Lang, Susan Welch Dean of the College of the Liberal Arts, and State College Mayor Ezra Nanes addressed attendees during the event. State College Borough Manager Tom Fountaine and Patton Township Manager Amy Farkas, who were instrumental in organizing the Expo, also participated, together with Centre County Commissioner Mark Higgins.

The career fair segment of the expo provided students with an opportunity to speak with representatives from various local governments, providing insights into career paths within municipal and county government operations. Participating organizations included Centre County Government, Centre Regional Planning Agency, State College Borough, College Township, Harris Township, Patton Township, Ferguson Township, the Patton Township Police Department and the State College Police Department.

The goal of the expo was to highlight the wide variety of opportunities available within local government, from traditional roles like city planning, public administration and policing to specialized positions in environmental management, community development and public finance. Students interacted with representatives from various fields, presenting options for those interested in everything from policy analysis and budget management to community outreach and infrastructure planning. Representatives stressed that working in local government offers the chance to directly influence citizens' daily lives while building strong, sustainable communities.

The expo reflects the School of Public Policy’s ongoing commitment to providing students with practical, career-ready skills and connecting them with public service career paths.

“We want to provide our students with impactful opportunities,” said School of Public Policy Director Lilliard Richardson. “Our goal is to connect students with opportunities to serve their communities and apply the policy knowledge they have learned in the classroom. Ultimately, we want to empower the next generation of civic leaders.”

The desire for connection is mutual, Farkas said.

“We are fortunate to be building a great partnership with the School of Public Policy. Richardson and the faculty and staff at the School of Public Policy have been incredible allies to us, helping to get interns and to promote the work local government does. The Local Government Expo was a great way to introduce a broader group of students to our profession through the career fair and the policy simulation. I look forward to continuing to grow our relationship," Farkas said.

To further the college’s goal of promoting career-readiness, a representative from the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network was in attendance to provide career support to students. The Career Enrichment Network aims to help students explore, engage with and define their career paths through various development opportunities.

“Events like the Local Government Expo exemplify the college’s commitment to career-readiness and to preparing students for meaningful lives as active members of society,” Lang said. “By connecting our Liberal Arts students directly with local government professionals and offering hands-on policy experience, we’re ensuring they graduate with both the critical thinking skills and practical knowledge needed to make a lasting difference in their communities.”

The policy simulation component, similar to the school's statewide Policy Simulation Competition held in March, challenged students to navigate a complex government scenario and develop collaborative solutions to real-world policy issues. In the expo simulation, students worked in teams of five and represented various stakeholders, including a local coalition, the U.S. Forest Service, the mayor, an environmental group and the water authority. They were tasked with working together to develop a wildfire prevention plan for the fictional mountain town of Westmount.

“Participating in the policy simulation was such an immersive and valuable experience for me as someone who aspires to make policy recommendations professionally in the future," said Lily Sabine, a fourth-year IUG student majoring in political science who is beginning her master of public policy. “This simulation exposed me to the reality of how complex public decision-making is, and how essential it is to compromise and work collaboratively to implement successful policy solutions.”

Teams were judged based on the effectiveness of their mitigation plan, their success in their individual roles, and their ability to collaborate effectively. Serving as judges for the policy simulation were Fountaine, Farkas, School of Public Policy Board Members Margaret Grey, who formerly served as Centre County Administrator, and Mark Jinks, whose more than four decades in local government include the role of City Manager of Alexandria, Virginia.

The School of Public Policy plans to make the Local Government Expo an annual event, continuing to bridge the gap between academic learning and public service careers.