Seizing Opportunities

When Henry Goodson interviewed for a paid student fellowship with the University of Delaware's Conflict Resolution Program (CRP), he had no idea that he would have a chance to apply his academic research on civic narratives. Yet, with the support of his supervisors, Goodson turned his passion into a presentation for the Delaware Municipal Clerks Institute about how town stories can shape public perception and foster civic engagement.

"The chance to engage public servants and talk about public perceptions about government was incredibly engaging," said Goodson. "The Municipal Clerks Institute is a fantastic program, and it was an honor to be a part of it!"

Contributing to the planning and leading of the Delaware Municipal Clerks Institute is just one of several opportunities Goodson enjoyed while working as a Public Administration Fellow with CRP, a program at the Institute for Public Administration (IPA), a research and public service center in the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration.

"The CRP program has strengthened my academic development by helping me apply learned skills into action through real-world context," said Goodson, who graduated in May 2025 from the Biden School's Master of Public Policy (MPP) program. "Professionally, I have met with policymakers and officials while having the opportunity to practice data management and team involvement, and overall, it has allowed me to try different things that I may not have been able to in other settings or programs."

In addition to training city and town administrators from Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, Goodson helped coordinate the Delaware Department of Labor Leadership Academy, conducted research on human resource issues, and designed program evaluations under the guidance of his supervisor and IPA Associate Policy Scientist Joy Jordan.

"My advice for future students is to take the initiative and get engaged. The teams here are incredibly supportive and want to give students every opportunity to work on real-world projects," he advised. "Jump in and take part in everything you can; the teams here are eager and willing to listen to ideas and suggestions that their students have."