Student and Alumni Resources
Garnet Coleman Award for Student Excellence
The Garnet Coleman Award for Student Excellence is presented to one graduating Master of Public Policy student each year.
Hobby School Commencement
Find out details of upcoming commencement ceremonies.
Where are our graduates?
Here are a few of the organizations where our graduates found careers:
Read Hobby School Graduate Student Success Stories
Hobby School Student/Alumni Organizations and Social Media
Student Organizations
Government Internship Alumni Network - Texas: student organization comprised of former and current Hobby School interns providing internship and employment connections to better prepare students for careers in public service and civic engagement
Facebook Group: Master of Public Policy - Hobby School of Public Affairs: Facebook group for past, present, and future students of the MPP program
Pi Alpha Alpha: global honor society for public affairs and administration
The minimum requirements for graduate students to be inducted are to achieve and maintain a 3.7 or above GPA, and the completion of more than 50% of coursework in a public policy/public administration degree.
For more information on the UH Pi Alpha Alpha chapter, visit the group's Get Involved page on the UH Center for Student Involvement site.
Alumni Organizations
UH Alumni Association: Hobby School of Public Affairs: official UH Alumni Association page
Facebook: Hobby School of Public Affairs Alumni Association: official Facebook account for the alumni-run alumni association
Twitter: Hobby School of Public Affairs Alumni Association: official Twitter account for the alumni-run alumni association
LinkedIn: Hobby School of Public Affairs Alumni Association: official LinkedIn account for the alumni-run alumni association
Other Professional Resources
UH University Career Services: UH's career services office provides assistance with career advice, job searches, job fairs, interview techniques, networking, and much more
Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM): nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public policy and management by fostering excellence in research, analysis, and education
Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA): nonprofit organization of graduate education programs in public policy, public affairs, public administration, and nonprofit management
GovernmentJobs.com: browse federal, state, and municipal jobs and internships
International City/County Management Association: locate job opportunities with city and county governments
Internships.com: find all types of internships
Opportunities in Public Affairs: search for legislative, public affairs, and public relations jobs in Washington D.C. and nationwide
PublicServiceCareers.org: find jobs and internships, career advice, and information on degrees in public service and public affairs
Big Data Internships and Employment: Tips to find and make the most out of a big data-related internship
USAJobs.gov: federal government's official jobs site
Visit Houston: search for Houston-area attractions, events, restaurants, and much more
Employment Statistics for MPP Graduates
Fall 2015 Cohort
| Employed Within One Year of Graduation | ||
| Yes | 8 | 88.9% |
| Continuing Education (PhD, JD, etc.) | 0 | 0% |
| No/Other/Unknown | 1 | 11.1% |
| Total | 9 | 100% |
| Employment Type (As of March 2023) | ||
| Private | 2 | 22.2% |
| Federal Government | 2 | 22.2% |
| State Government | 0 | 0% |
| Local Government | 0 | 0% |
| Nonprofit/NGO | 4 | 44.4% |
| Education | 1 | 11.1% |
| Continuing Education (PhD, JD, etc.) | 0 | 0% |
| Other/Unknown | 0 | 0% |
| Total | 9 | 100% |
Fall 2016 Cohort
| Employed Within One Year of Graduation | ||
| Yes | 15 | 93.8% |
| Continuing Education (PhD, JD, etc.) | 0 | 0% |
| No/Other/Unknown | 1 | 6.2% |
| Total | 16 | 100% |
| Employment Type (As of March 2023) | ||
| Private | 4 | 25% |
| Federal Government | 1 | 6.3% |
| State Government | 1 | 6.3% |
| Local Government | 4 | 25% |
| Nonprofit/NGO | 5 | 31.3% |
| Education | 1 | 6.3% |
| Continuing Education (PhD, JD, etc.) | 0 | 0% |
| Other/Unknown | 0 | 0% |
| Total | 16 | 100% |
Fall 2017 Cohort
| Employed Within One Year of Graduation | ||
| Yes | 11 | 84.6% |
| Continuing Education (PhD, JD, etc.) | 1 | 7.7% |
| No/Other/Unknown | 1 | 7.7% |
| Total | 16 | 100% |
| Employment Type (As of March 2023) | ||
| Private | 1 | 7.7% |
| Federal Government | 1 | 7.7% |
| State Government | 2 | 15.4% |
| Local Government | 1 | 7.7% |
| Nonprofit/NGO | 5 | 38.5% |
| Education | 2 | 15.4% |
| Continuing Education (PhD, JD, etc.) | 0 | 0% |
| Other/Unknown | 1 | 7.7% |
| Total | 16 | 100% |
Program Completion Statistics for MPP Students
Fall 2015 Cohort
| Graduated Within Three Years of Entering Program | ||
| Yes/Graduated Within Three Years | 9 | 100% |
| Yes/Graduated After Three Years | 0 | 0% |
| No/Didn't Graduate/Left Program | 0 | 0% |
| Total | 9 | 100% |
Fall 2016 Cohort
| Graduated Within Three Years of Entering Program | ||
| Yes/Graduated Within Three Years | 16 | 88.9% |
| Yes/Graduated After Three Years | 0 | 0% |
| No/Didn't Graduate/Left Program | 2 | 11.1% |
| Total | 18 | 100% |
Fall 2017 Cohort
| Graduated Within Three Years of Entering Program | ||
| Yes/Graduated Within Three Years | 12 | 60% |
| Yes/Graduated After Three Years | 1 | 5% |
| No/Didn't Graduate/Left Program | 7 | 35% |
| Total | 20 | 100% |
Career Destinations of Hobby School Graduates
The following is a recent sample of where recent Hobby School graduates have secured careers:
- AIG
- Amazon
- American Institutes for Research
- BakerRipley
- Center for Houston's Future
- CHILDREN AT RISK
- City of Houston Department of Housing and Community Development
- City of Houston Department of Planning and Development
- Environmental Defense Fund
- Fort Bend County Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Management
- Harris County Commissioners Court's Analyst's Office
- Harris County Department of Intergovernmental and Global Affairs
- Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management
- Harris County Public Health
- Houston-Galveston Area Council
- Houston Methodist
- Institute for Human Rights and Business
- Kinder Morgan
- Legislative Budget Board
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Office of U.S. Congressman Randy Weber
- Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research
- S&P Global
- Texas General Land Office
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- U.S. Department of Commerce
- U.S. Department of Justice: Drug Enforcement Agency
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission