Students & Alumni
The Master of Public Administration Program at California State University Fullerton began in 1968 and has earned the reputation as one of the best public administration programs in the Southland. Here we feature some of current students and recent graduates of our MPA program.
Student News!
Samantha Marin was accepted into the Public Service Leaders Scholarship program with the USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. This means that her graduate education will be paid for and she is guaranteed a position with the USDA upon the completion of her MPA.
Alfonso Esparza was named a Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholar which provides funds and assistance as he considers PhD programs.
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Siegel, BenBen Siegel serves as the Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Lake Forest. In his position, he is responsible for managing the City’s legislative affairs and intergovernmental relations program, as well as coordinating special projects related to transportation, housing, and public safety. Prior to his current role in the City Manager’s Office, Ben worked as a Management Analyst in the Public Works and Police Services departments. Ben began his career in local government in 2002 as a Management Intern with the City of Encinitas. He is an active member of the Municipal Management Association of Southern California. Ben earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from UCLA in 2000 and recently completed his Master of Public Administration Degree at Cal State Fullerton, where he was the recipient of the 2007 Sid Baldwin Award. He is a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha, Pi Sigma Alpha, and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. He credits his experience at Cal State Fullerton for helping prepare him for the diverse challenges facing public administrators, and for providing a theoretical framework to interpret and address real-world issues. A native San Diegan, Ben enjoys ocean sports and is an avid runner and swimmer. He currently resides in Laguna Beach. |
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Tomaino, CarloCarlo graduated from California State University Fullerton with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Master of Arts in Public Administration. He currently works for the Lake Forest Redevelopment Agency as a Management Analyst. In his role with the Agency, Carlo actively works with property and business owners in the El Toro Project Area to encourage revitalization of the Arbor Commercial Corridor. He hopes to continue to pursue a career in redevelopment. Carlo is a member of several professional organization including the California Redevelopment Association and the Municipal Management Association of Southern California. Carlo graduated cum laude in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science/Public Administration from Cal State Fullerton. In 2007, he completed his Master of Public Administration Degree. |
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Stephanie Mendenhall
Stephanie is employed as the City Clerk for the City of Upland. In this position Stephanie serves as the City’s election official, city-wide records manager, and disseminates information to the public and media organizations. As a Council appointee, she coordinates various special projects related to the policy set by the City Council. She has served as President of the Southern California City Clerks Association and has mentored others in seeking higher education. Her desire is to utilize the theoretical framework she has received from Cal State Fullerton to address difficult issues facing public agencies. She has been a member of Pi Alpha Alpha honor society since 2009 and has served on the board for two years. Stephanie is also the co-recipient of the 2011 Sidney Baldwin Award. |
When you walk into any city government office in Orange County and chances are good you will find a graduate of Cal State University Fullerton. For more than 30 years, the CSUF MPA program has graduated hundreds of public administrators and managers for local, county, and state governments. The program has a long working relationship with municipal governments in Orange County, with several Orange County cities run by our graduates. In addition, many other cities and government agencies in Southern California boast our graduates:
Sean Joyce, Irvine City Manager
Tom Hatch, Costa Mesa City Manager
Carol Jacobs, Stanton City Manager
John Sibley, Orange City Manager
Recently Retired Alumni City Managers include:
