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MU Executive Director Honored for Work During Pandemic

Dr. DeSantis took a leadership role in adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Millersville University’s Dr. Victor DeSantis was honored recently by the Keystone State Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration(ASPA), for his leadership role in adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual awards event was held on May 4 during Public Service Recognition Week to celebrate the accomplishments of all of its Keystone State Chapter members.

“I am very honored to receive this chapter award. I have been involved with ASPA at the national and local level for almost 30 years and remain passionate about advocating for public administrators at all levels of government. Our chapter needed a solution to connect our members and implement our programs during the pandemic and I was pleased to play a role in making this happen for everyone’s benefit, “ says Dr. Victor DeSantis, Executive Director for the Office of Community Engagement, Government and Economic Development at Millersville University.

When the Keystone State Chapter suspended in-person activities in March of 2020, DeSantis took a leadership role in adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic. As program committee co-chair and active board of directors member, DeSantis provided the expertise and tools to move to an online format for upcoming events.

Beginning with the May 5, 2020, Public Service Recognition Week event, DeSantis created the virtual framework for the chapter to continue conducting business, holding panel sessions and facilitating informal networking. The Zoom session format then became the model for an additional half dozen chapter events during 2020 — the largest number of events in any year of the chapter’s history that goes back to 1967. DeSantis personally served as Zoom host for a majority of chapter program events subsequent to March of 2020 while also hosting virtual board meetings.​

ASPA is the largest and most prominent broadly based professional association in American public administration. It has a diverse membership of approximately 8,000 practitioners, academicians and students. ASPA serves as the principal arena for linking theory and practice within the field of public administration.

​DeSantis has been an ASPA member for nearly three decades. Prior to coming to Pennsylvania, DeSantis was a board member and past president of ASPA’s North Texas Chapter.  ​

For more information on the ASPA event, visit https://www.keystoneaspa.com/.

 

 

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