Humphrey Public Leaders Fellowship

Mark Gruen, Master of Public Policy
Mark Gruen is originally from Madison, Wisconsin, and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of Minnesota in 2006. After graduating, Mark worked as a program coordinator for the Native American Soccer Project. He then served 33 months in the Peace Corps in El Salvador, where he worked with students in a rural community to improve their educational opportunities by producing and selling aloe shampoo at the local market to fund school projects. At the Humphrey School, Mark is studying public policy with a concentration on public and nonprofit leadership and program evaluation. He is interested in youth education and development. This summer, Mark has an internship with the El Salvador Ministry of Education, where he will evaluate a U.S. Agency for International Development project that focuses on retraining public school teachers.

“I am extremely grateful to receive a Humphrey Public Leaders Fellowship. This financial support has allowed me to focus my energies on getting as much as I can out of my coursework, and it also will let me pursue future employment that aligns with my personal values.”

Andrea Nadel, Master of Public Policy
After graduating with a degree in sociology from The Ohio State University in 2009, Cincinnati native Andrea Nadel worked with the Society for Protection of Nature, where she promoted awareness of environmental conservation in Jerusalem. A graduate intern and fellow with the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, Andrea has several years of experience working with nonprofit organizations in the United States and Israel. She is interested in understanding the ways that nonprofit organizations can adapt to and thrive in the face of the challenges posed by a rapidly changing field. Andrea is preparing for leadership in the nonprofit sector and hopes to engage community members to become stakeholders in the work that they do.

“Pursuing a degree through which I can strengthen my skills and make a positive impact in a field about which I care deeply has long been my dream, and this scholarship has made that dream a reality. I am so thankful for the investment the Humphrey School has made in me as a student and future professional.”

Megan Roberts, Master of Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy
Megan Roberts grew up in Paynesville, Minnesota, and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in applied plant science and minors in international and sustainable agriculture and applied economics. After graduation, Megan was an agricultural communications coordinator for Crystal Valley Cooperative, a full-service cooperative serving agronomy, energy, feed, and grain customers. A member American Agri-Women, Megan’s interests lie in farmer decision making and agricultural advocacy. When not attending classes at the Humphrey School, she lives on a hog and crop farm in southwestern Minnesota. After completing her degree from the Humphrey School, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. and use the research of land grant universities to bridge the gap between growers and consumers.

“Scholarships have been vital to my post-secondary educational pursuits. I’m enormously grateful and honored to be a recipient of this fellowship—it was the primary reason I selected the Humphrey School for my graduate studies. Thank you!”