By Sam Gaston

In 1999, I received an e-mail from Dr. Jim Slack, who was MPA director at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He asked me if I would serve on the UAB reaccreditation committee for the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), which I accepted. NASPAA is an accrediting body for MPA programs.

After the first committee meeting, he asked me if I had ever considered teaching at the collegiate level. When I told him I had taught an undergraduate class in American government at Oxford, he seemed impressed, but I had to explain it had been several years ago and at the Oxford, Alabama, branch of Jacksonville State University.

Despite my lowly qualifications, Slack offered me the opportunity to teach the urban administration class in the MPA program at UAB. Over the next 14 years, I taught one or two classes a year at UAB in urban administration, state and local government, and later, city and county management.

In 2014, my path crossed again with Slack, who was now director of the newly formed MPA program at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He told me that Regent University was seeking NASPAA accreditation in the future and asked me to serve on its MPA advisory committee, which I accepted.

Later that year, he offered me a position at Regent University as a practitioner-in-residence/online. Since I considered him a close friend and mentor, I gladly accepted the new challenge.

I now teach principles of public administration and city-county management online at Regent University, visit the campus four times a year to meet with students and faculty, make presentations, participate in campus activities, attend Preview Day events, and attend Robertson School of Government staff meetings remotely.

Benefits of Teaching

So, why do I teach? Here are my reasons:

Give back to our profession. ICMA has done a good job of encouraging its members to give back to the management profession by teaching, hosting interns or a Local Government Management Fellow, and contributing to the Life, Well Run campaign. I participate in these activities because I am proud of our profession and proud to be an ICMA member.

Encourage others to enter our profession. It is our duty as professional managers to prepare the next generation. By serving as an adjunct professor or practitioner-in-residence, I have the opportunity to encourage students to enter the management profession.

Many MPA students think the nonprofit field is the one they want as their career. Taking a local government class, however, can inspire them to seek employment where the action really is, solving problems, building a community, and improving the quality of life.

Opportunities to form ICMA student chapters. Teaching at the college level can give you an opportunity to form an ICMA Student Chapter. My involvement at UAB led to the formation of the first ICMA Student Chapter in the nation; this chapter receives great support from the university.

Regent University has also formed an ICMA Student Chapter and is steadily growing its members and programs. By establishing these chapters, we can give students great insight into our profession and the opportunities available to them.

Educate others about local government. Not all of my students will be going into local government, but I can educate them and inform them on how local government is the major player in their quality of life. Teaching them about local government will give them a better understanding and appreciation of how local government functions and affects their daily lives.

It engages and reenergizes me. Being a college instructor energizes and motivates me. Discussing issues and class presentations with students is engaging and professionally stimulating. I am amazed at how bright and motivated my students are and the passion they possess to make a difference in their community and in the world.

Honoring your mentors. By teaching, I have the opportunity to honor my academic mentors who include David Martin, Auburn University; Thomas Vocino, Auburn University at Montgomery; and Jim Slack at UAB and Regent University. These mentors, through their academic direction, instruction, and advice, have given me sound guidance in my professional and academic career. I try to follow the example they have set as I serve in the role as teacher and instructor to others.

If you are an adjunct professor or full-time academician, I salute you for what you do and for advancing the management profession. If you are a local government professional who is considering serving as an instructor at the college level, I encourage you to do so.

You will find it extremely rewarding—personally, professionally, and intellectually—and along the way, you just might help educate future local government managers who will continue the excellence of our profession into the future.