I am pursuing an Executive Master of Public Service and Administration (EMPSA) at Texas A&M’s Bush School to equip myself for faithful, effective leadership in the nonprofit sector—where public service, strategic management, and biblical convictions intersect. As the founder of Shoe Leather Gospel, a discipleship ministry committed to biblical worldview and cultural engagement, I see this degree not as an end in itself but as a means to steward influence for the glory of God and the good of others.
The Bush School’s emphasis on principled public service, data-driven leadership, and nonprofit strategy aligns perfectly with my calling to develop ministries that are theologically grounded, culturally discerning, and operationally excellent. My background in disaster relief leadership, digital strategy, and community development has shown me the need for biblically faithful leaders who understand policy, manage resources wisely, and serve sacrificially. The EMPSA program helps bridge these worlds—bringing together servant leadership and professional competence in a way that enhances both.
Ultimately, I’m pursuing this degree to deepen my ability to lead and multiply organizations that bring gospel hope into real-world crises, equipping the church to serve as both salt and light in a culture that desperately needs truth and compassion.
Coursework
PSAA 631: Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations – Fall 2023
Provides overviews and examines the underlying fundamental principles, concepts, and methods of strategic marketing as it is associated with the nonprofit sector. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
PSAA 644: Management and Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations – Fall 2023
Introduction and overview of nonprofit organizations and the environment they operate in; examination of the distinctiveness of these organizations and the special skills required for effective management of them; empirical and normative issues surrounding nonprofit management and leadership.
PSAA 636: Grant and Project Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors – Spring 2024
Examination of the use and provision of grants in the public and nonprofit sectors; exploration of the conceptual background of government and private grants; the management of grants and projects; application of skills and methods related to proposal writing needs statements, program budgets and evaluations.
PSAA 643: Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector – Spring 2024
Overview of the origins, size, scope and composition of the nonprofit and voluntary sector in American society today; introduction to the historical, political and religious foundations of the nonprofit sector; examines theoretical and conceptual framework.
PSAA 601: Foundations of Public Service – Summer 2024
Different perspectives on management and leadership in public service; provides overview of how public and nonprofit organizations work; discusses ethical dilemmas that occur in public service careers.
PSAA 602: Tools of Leadership in Public Service Organizations – Fall 2024
In-depth study of public service leadership and management skills; centered primarily in the context of organizations and people engaged in governance and public service, primarily public and nonprofit sectors.
PSAA 630: Program Evaluation in Public and Nonprofit Organizations Fall 2024
Organizations today are responding to increasing demands for accountability; demands come from an increasingly sophisticated public, clientele, and from funding sources including government, foundations, and corporations; designed to introduce theories, research, and practice for program evaluation and systems that support the organization’s information needs.
BUSH 631: Quantitative Methods in Public Management I – Fall 2024
Introduction to the common methods for social and policy analysis with a focus on application of methods such as analysis of variance and regression, to tasks including policy analysis, evaluation and survey research; emphasis on the performance of social and policy analysis, although some statistical theory is introduced.
PSAA 632: Fiscal Management for Nonprofits – Spring 2025
Introduction to the underlying fundamental principles, concepts and methods of managerial finance in nonprofit organizations; interpretation and evaluation of the financial reports to inform strategic decision-making in planning and budgeting.
PSAA 621: Economic Analysis – Spring 2025
Microeconomic analysis of consumers, firms and markets; macroeconomic analysis of growth and stabilization policies; the government’s role in the economy.
PSAA 611: Public Policy Formation – Fall 2025
Examination of public policy formation processes in the United States, with an emphasis on national government.
PSAA 675: Public Service and Administration Capstone Seminar – Summer 2025
Provides a capstone experience for students as they operate in teams to address an important policy and administrative issue; draws on the coursework and experiences of their Bush School education to develop specific recommendations for design, implementation and evaluation of this project task.
PSAA 676: Public Service and Administration Capstone Seminar II – Fall 2025
Provides a capstone experience as they operate in teams to address an important policy and administrative issue; draws on the coursework and experiences of their Bush School education to develop specific recommendations for design, implementation and evaluation of this project task.
Honors
- Certification in Nonprofit Management, The Bush School of Government & Public Service (2024)
- The Dean’s Leadership Certificate, The Bush School of Government & Public Service (2025)
- Medial of Excellence, The Bush School of Government & Public Service (2025)
- Grad Aggies Professional Development Foundations Certificate (2024)
- Grad Aggies Professional Development Explorations Certificate (2024)
- Grad Aggies Professional Development Mastery Certificate: Individual Development Plan (2024)
- Graduate Mentoring Academy Certificate (2025)
- Bush Board Fellowship (2025)