The thing that usually comes to mind  with The University of Texas at Austin is Longhorn football. Football is such a huge part of the culture here and is part of the Longhorn identity. Football also illustrates some of the core characteristics that come to define the university as a whole and especially the MPA program. Some of these qualities include teamwork, loyalty and excellence

Teamwork

Sitting in the stands of the football stadium, wearing burnt orange along with 100,000 other people, I feel like I am part of something so much bigger than myself. Although I am not on the field playing football, I feel as if I am part of the team. Everyone on the field and in the crowd wants to succeed as one and conquer all the challenges that face us.

This team-oriented culture is also very prevalent in the MPA program. The curriculum is very team based, so it provides the program a much more collaborative than competitive atmosphere. I was personally very nervous about joining such a prestigious program, and heard that everyone was extremely competitive concerning grades and job offers. However, because of the team-oriented culture my experience has been everyone trying to succeed together and accomplish a common goal. Continue reading Longhorn Nation: the connections between Longhorn football and Texas MPA →