Sarah Lowry ’18
sarah lowry
mpa 2018
Growing up in a family of physicians, Sarah always had healthcare in mind as a career framework, but her passion stems from her interest in preventative policy to better understand the broad factors
surrounding public health. After her undergraduate degree, Sarah decided to pursue and earn a Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in Nonprofit Management at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Under the encouragement of the MPA faculty, she applied for the Presidential Management Fellows Program and was awarded a position as Public Health Analyst at the National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control, CDC, in 2018. Sarah now holds a full-time position with the Injury Prevention and Control center of the CDC as a Health Policy and Issues Management Analyst! In her position, Sarah views public health concerns from a holistic point of view, corresponding primarily with Congress on the various topics of interest within the CDC. As a bridge between science and action, Sarah understands the
importance of communication within her field. She particularly finds joy in the optimism that arises from connecting with people over possible solutions to public health concerns.
Sarah credits the MPA program for providing opportunities such as the team capstone requirement where she gained real-world experience. She notes that those opportunities to work within local governments, as well as the knowledge she gained from her concentration in Nonprofit Management, set her up for success in a federal organization where she communicates with groups from all levels of government. Sarah’s advice to current students is never to limit your options and try to develop relationships with your faculty and classmates. She believes that she would not be in her current position had it not been for the professional network of her professors.
“I’m really thankful I went and got my MPA…Because [the] MPA touches on so many different areas, not just health…I didn’t realize that what I was saying was that I wanted to work in policy.” — Sarah Lowry
Advanced degree holders who have recently graduated or are in their final semesters can find more information on the Presidential Management Fellows Program here .
About Us
The mission of the Master of Public Administration Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte is to provide education and training for the public and nonprofit sectors, conduct scholarly and applied research to advance the field of public administration, and serve the community.
Contact Us
Master of Public Administration
9201 University City Boulevard
Charlotte, NC 28223-0001
Fax: 704-687-1400
Director
Prof. Suzanne Leland
Phone: 704-687-5937
smleland@charlotte.edu
Administrative Assistant
Tizoc Tenorio
Phone: 704-687-7948
ttenorio@charlotte.edu