Comments on: APEX Fellowship | Thomas Pitney

By: Thomas Pitney

Thomas Pitney — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 21:38:40 +0000

Thank you Jenni for your comments. I am very glad that the APEX Fellowship provided so many opportunities for reflection. During my reflections, I thought about the role of local government in the Town of Shrewsbury, my own role in Shrewsbury, and my future career paths. If the structured reflections offered through APEX Fellowships were not included as part of my internship, I do not believe I would have gained as many important insights on these important topics.

By: Thomas Pitney

Thomas Pitney — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 21:34:24 +0000

Hello Dr. Ozar,
Thank you for the kind words! This experience was very helpful in allowing me to consider different career paths. In particular, I found the research tasks of my internship to be the most interesting. For now, I am interested in pursuing a PhD in Political Science upon graduation, as I have found myself enjoying the Political Science research process. Regardless, this experience reminded me of the importance of local government to people’s daily lives, and I will continue to be actively engaged in my local community in the future.

By: Thomas Pitney

Thomas Pitney — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 21:29:27 +0000

Hello Dr. Sobeck,
Through my experience working with the Town Manager in Shrewsbury, I learned about the importance of public administrators to government functions. In many cases, elected officials do not have the time or the detailed knowledge of government functions to delve into policy nuances as often as appointed public administrators. Understanding this has made me more cognizant of the Town Manager’s role in Shrewsbury’s functions, and will hopefully allow me to be a more informed Town Meeting Member. Furthermore, I would like to apply my observation of how several actors within Shrewsbury influence policy outcomes to my IS. Specifically, I am interested in examining how power dynamics at the domestic level influence foreign policy decisions. At several levels, this experience changed the way I thought about government!

By: Thomas Pitney

Thomas Pitney — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 21:22:45 +0000

Thank you Carly! I am very thankful to my supervisor, Town Manager Kevin Mizikar, for providing so many opportunities for me to do meaningful work for the Town. It was also a fantastic opportunity to understand how government functions overall!

By: Jenni Griffin

Jenni Griffin — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 19:44:36 +0000

Thanks for mentioning how important reflection is to help you deepen the experience. It sounds like you worked on some really important projects.

By: Ryan Ozar

Ryan Ozar — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 17:56:59 +0000

Thomas, it seems like you learned a lot through this experience. Thanks for sharing. Though you would probably have to sit at a desk sometimes, I wouldn’t pass on your future as mayor of Shrewsbury.

By: Sarah Sobeck

Sarah Sobeck — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 15:45:34 +0000

Thank you Thomas,
Has this experience helped to shape your approach to or continued work in local governance?

By: Carly Eppler

Carly Eppler — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 13:50:20 +0000

While I know you aren’t looking to work in a similar position in the future, I know you made a big impact on the town and its planning.