Different Paths, Same Goal
March 7, 2025
The goal of public service is always the same: to empower and uplift the community in which you find yourself. The road we take to get there is often very different.
The students in Lipscomb University's Master of Arts in Leadership and Public Service program offer a wonderful example of how people in different sectors can serve a common purpose.
For Alec Richardson, Senior Advisor to the Governor and Director of External Affairs at the State of Tennessee, his desire to pursue leadership development came from a love for his home state. “I am born and raised in Tennessee, and my extended family still lives here as well,” he says. “When I think about positively impacting this state, I think of them and all of the families just like them.”
While some of our students support their communities through government service, others do so through local non-profits. Courtney Blaise is the Director of Community Engagement for Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, where she leads efforts in volunteer engagement and community relations. Her background in the non-profit sector and human services informs the kind of change she wants to see all over the state. “I am focused on ensuring that food systems in TN can support people with the food they need to thrive and how best to serve them and their families.”
The commitment to service extends beyond government and non-profit sectors, reaching into military leadership as well. Brittney Gunn, a Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy Reserve, talked to us about the importance of personal development and self-awareness for her leadership journey. “I am a leader in the military and want to expand on how I lead by developing my current framework to inspire those around me”, said Gunn. “The program has exceeded my expectations through helping me become more self-aware and intentional with how I present myself and the influence I have.”
Each person has a unique journey to becoming a leader. They have their own set of experiences, beliefs, and priorities that inform the kind of leader they will become. For students in the Leadership and Public Service program (LPS), these different paths don’t act as hindrances to progress; they enhance it.
For Blaise, learning about people’s leadership journeys helps to inform how different people and groups might move forward together. “The LPS program is giving me a broader sense of how interconnected all of us are, how all of our organizations collaborate, and how we as Tennessee residents make it a great place,” she says. “We have a very diverse cohort from all corners of the state, and I really appreciate their perspectives and experiences.”
Students have consistently reported that the consistent exposure to students from different backgrounds and sectors adds to their learning experience and makes them better leaders in the process. Richardson echoes this sentiment.
“My favorite part of the cohort has been just how different perspectives can lead to a deeper understanding,” he says. “Each one of us comes to this program from a different focus area or viewpoint. It’s really interesting to sit in class every day and hear these perspectives as we learn to deepen our leadership skills.”
“Every classmate has been truly wonderful,” says Gunn. “There is knowledgeable insight from educators, pastors, attorneys, mayors, and non-profit leaders.
“Everyone you work for, with, or under has a different background than your own,” she continues. “It is through that collaboration where ideas and growth can happen.”
Lipscomb University’s College of Leadership & Public Service
Lipscomb’s College of Leadership & Public Service is “Where Tennessee Turns for Leadership” by intentionally addressing local, national and global issues to prepare leaders to navigate, shape and steer the direction of matters affecting communities and people around the world. The college comprises three institutes–the Institute for Conflict Management, the Institute for Law, Justice & Society and the Institute for Sustainable Practice, and one school–the School of Public Policy, all of which focus on both outreach and academics. Its programs include studies in pre-law, public service, nonprofit management, corporate social justice, government and sustainability among others.
The Leadership & Public Service (LPS) program is housed within the School of Public Policy, alongside the Master of Public Administration (MPA). LPS students come from leadership roles across Tennessee to network and learn in a central location, Nashville. Students have influenced state and local policy, transformed communities and organizations, and continue to make an impact from the lessons learned in the classroom.
College of Leadership and Public Service News