Master of Public Administration students Frank Dammann (left) and Stephen Yim (right) were named Presidential Management Fellows. The federal program is one of the most competitive and prestigious domestic fellowship programs in the field of public administration and public policy. More than 9,100 individuals applied for the program.

Presidential Management Fellows work in federal agencies for two years. Dammann will work at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. Yim will be at the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division in Washington, D.C.

“The fellowship is specifically designed to develop government leaders,” said Janelle Wong, Director of the Institute of Public Service. “Our students have been recognized for their achievements in the classroom and their commitments to public service.”

At NIH, the nation’s top biomedical research agency, Dammann will be based in the Training Center under the Office of the Director. As an at-large fellow, he will have the opportunity to rotate through NIH’s various institutes and centers. He will have the opportunity to experience different organizational cultures and different fields, including management, budget, and communications.

Before enrolling in the MPA program, Dammann helped organize New York City’s International Fringe Festival, conducted political campaigns, and worked for a biotechnology think tank in Chicago. As part his MPA coursework, he worked in Ethiopia on water and sanitation systems with Catholic Relief Services.   

Yim has been working for U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell for over five years as her Constituent Services Representative and Federal Grants Coordinator.  In this role, he was responsible for assisting constituents, nonprofit organizations, and local governments navigate complicated federal programs within the immigration and federal funding systems.

The Master of Public Administration is an advanced degree program offered by the Institute of Public Service in the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences, the largest college in Seattle University, offers 33 undergraduate and 7 advanced degrees.