Roland Calia

Notable Quote
“Helping students acquire the skills they need to critically analyze concepts and solve problems is often a challenging process for a teacher.  But the rewards for me are immense when a student achieves a breakthrough and masters a concept.  This is the reason I teach.”

Notable Vignette
Many years after completing one of my courses, I ran into several former students at a function.  After chatting a while, our conversation turned to my course.  Then one of the students said, “That was the first time I really understood how government works. Thanks for teaching me.” This interaction made clear to me that my teaching had made a clear and measurable impact.

What excites me about the MPA Program in Public Administration at Stuart
The MPA Program is a unique opportunity for individuals who wish to begin or enhance their careers in the public or nonprofit sectors for two reasons:

• Instruction always incorporates the accumulated knowledge of practitioner experts in their fields; and

• The coursework emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to public management incorporating theoretical and practical applications from political science, public administration, business administration, legal studies, policy analysis, program implementation, urban studies, public finance, public safety, and nonprofit management.

Completing an MPA degree at IIT gives students the analytical and practical tools they need to excel in their professional lives.

My Teaching Philosophy
I believe that that a quality public administration educational experience integrates practical real-world experiences with the wisdom imparted from theory.  A complete understanding of how to be a first class public or nonprofit manager requires a deep understanding of both aspects of learning.  The practical knowledge I gained from years as a practitioner in the public and nonprofit sectors has made me a much better teacher as I am able to more closely apply the theories I learned in graduate school and through research to real life situations.

My Teaching/Research Interests
My teaching and research focus on public financial management and the development of state structures (state building in comparative contexts).  In the MPA program, I teach public finance, performance management, policy analysis and comparative public administration.