When Stephanie Barrett, BSPA’94 graduated from Indiana University with a degree from what’s now the O’Neill School, she didn’t know her path would eventually lead to helping thousands of people find a safe, stable place to call home. But with a passion for community and a sharp eye for finance, she carved out a career… Read more »
High Impact Practices
Building Global Careers: MIA Students Gain International Experience in Armenia
For students pursuing a Master of International Affairs (MIA), offered jointly by the top-ranked O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, hands-on international experience is essential in preparing for careers in global policy, diplomacy, and development. Through the Armenia Capstone Program, participating MIA students… Read more »
O’Neill students develop management leadership skills through business fraternity Mu Beta Lamba
At the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, it’s no surprise that many students are passionate about public policy and environmental issues. However, some of O’Neill’s most popular majors extend beyond what the school’s name might suggest. In fact, management and public financial management students make up nearly 40% of O’Neill’s undergraduate population. Among… Read more »
Bridging the gap: O’Neill student connects healthcare policymakers to research
Written by: Nikki Livingston Madelyn Mustaine’s mission is to empower individuals to live their healthiest, happiest lives by ensuring they have reliable access to the care they deserve. As an undergraduate at O’Neill, she worked as a research assistant for health care policy researcher Kosali Simon and studied health care in five countries, which were experiences she… Read more »
Armenia Global Capstone offers O’Neill students hands-on lessons in international policymaking
Armenia, with its deep history and rapidly evolving governance structures, became a hands-on classroom for 12 O’Neill School master’s students representing six countries. Through the Armenia Global Capstone, they explored public sector reform, sustainable development, and participatory policymaking, applying their academic training to real-world challenges. During the trip, students collaborated with the UNDP Armenia SDG Innovation… Read more »
O’Neill’s global reach: A student delegate’s experience at COP29
Written by Daniel Farrell, MPA-MIA candidate, December 2025 I recently returned from Baku, Azerbaijan, where the annual United Nations Conference of Parties (COP) concluded after two weeks of intense climate negotiations. This was COP29—the twenty-ninth meeting of what is often the largest international policy conference of any given year. The COP is administered by the… Read more »
Exploring Public Service and STEM: IU students gain insights at national NextGen Service Corps retreat in New Mexico
In early November, Indiana University NextGen Leadership Program students Ella Bell and Khloe Williams had the unique opportunity to travel to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for a retreat hosted by the NextGen Service Corps at the University of New Mexico. The conference brought together students from across the country, all interested in exploring how public service… Read more »
O’Neill MPA student research used to secure $200K grant for California community
A small California town is better prepared for future floods thanks to the innovative research of three current and former MPA students at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. While working on a final paper for their Climate Change Policy class, Jeff Adams, Tracy Luther, and Evan Fall dove into the… Read more »
Empowering Bloomington: IU students research keys to unlocking nonprofit success
Understanding the keys to a thriving nonprofit is crucial—not only for academic insight but for building stronger, more connected communities. At Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, students are diving into this challenge by engaging directly with nonprofits in the heart of Bloomington. Supported by AmeriCorps, the Observing Civic Engagement (OCE) project… Read more »
Sustainability in action: O’Neill students’ Costa Rica Summer Program experience
This past summer, a group of students from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs embarked on an unforgettable 10-day journey through Costa Rica, immersing themselves in the country’s rich biodiversity and sustainability efforts. From hands-on experiences at local coffee farms and fisheries to eye-opening lessons on environmental policy, the trip offered students the… Read more »