Today’s #facultyspotlight is Eric Horvath, who teaches Capital for Good in the MPA Program! Curious about who teaches in our program? Meet our faculty here https://lnkd.in/emvPm6Ai
What brought you to the City College of New York and to the Colin Powell school for Civic and Global Leadership?
I work in impact investing, a $1 trillion+ market, that is focused on using investment capital to produce measurable social impact. Despite its growth, impact investing had no presence at CUNY, the largest urban public university system in the country.
I think students like mine at CCNY belong in this industry, because i believe they can drive greater impact in our investment decisions. But there are few introductions and pathways into it, which my course is trying to change.
How long have you been teaching in the MPA Program and what do you like most about it?
I started teaching in the MPA program back in 2022. I love my students because they are earnest, respectful and, most importantly, down to earth.
How do you bring real-world public service experience into your teaching?
My entire course is designed from a practitioner’s perspective. From the assignments I give, to the guests I introduce my students to, I am constantly trying to run my class “like a team at work.” The content is academic, but I think it’s my responsibility to have the bucket in which the course exists, to be grounded in professional experience and challenges.
What do you hope students take away from your course?
Coming out of my course, I want my students to understand that the world of resource mobilization does not stop at donations, philanthropy and public dollars. I hope they consider impact investment to be a valuable potential complement to the work they are passionate about doing.
What advice would you give to current or prospective MPA students?
By and large, the professionals that you admire and have learned from are very eager to support you. They’re extremely busy, though, so you have to be proactive, reach out and ask for specific support. My friends and colleagues almost always say Yes to inbounds from young professionals who are personable and sincere.
Ready to lead change in public service? Explore the MPA Program at the Colin Powell School:
🔗 colinpowellschool.ccny.cuny.edu/graduate-programs/master-of-public-administration-mpa
