Conferences
There are several essential meetings students should plan to attend because of their professional relevance and networking opportunities for potential internship or job placement:
- The ASU Local Government Alumni Association (ASULGAA) is a group of Appalachian State University graduates who are city and county managers and department heads in local governments in and around North Carolina. The annual meeting of this group is held each Fall in Boone. If you are an on-campus student, your attendance at the ASULGAA Conference is mandatory. Off-campus students are cordially invited. The ASULGAA provides scholarship support to MPA students. The meeting involves informative sessions on topics relevant to city/county management and invaluable networking opportunities.
- The North Carolina City and County Management Association (NCCCMA) meets in February at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem. Over 400 city and county managers will be in attendance and the meeting offers an extremely valuable opportunity to arrange internships and to talk about employment opportunities. The NCCCMA provides a scholarship each year to a student pursuing city management as a career. You are expected to attend this meeting as the program covers far more than city management topics. The ASULGAA pays the registration fee for all Appalachian State students attending the meeting.
- The North Carolina Criminal Justice Association holds an annual meeting each spring on the campus of one of the colleges and universities located across the state. Topics relating to career development, changing professional standards and research about new and emerging issues are covered.