Federal and State Government Industry Insights

This was a virtual event held for career services professionals interested in learning more about hiring and trends in federal and state government. It included a short presentation, panel discussion, and time for Q&A with audience members.

• Watch a recording of the panel
• Presentation slides including links to job websites and tons of resources!

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Description: This virtual event, hosted by the Employer Relations Community of Practice, is intended for career services professionals (and others who are interested) who would like to learn more about hiring and trends in federal and state government. This conversation-style session will be facilitated by Marie Koko, Director of Career and Employer Services in the La Follette School of Public Affairs—please bring your questions.

Hosted by: Employer Relations Community of Practice and Office of Academic & Career Success

Moderator:

Marie Koko, Director of Career and Employer Services at La Follette School of Public Affairs Marie is originally from the Chicago area (Oak Park) and joined La Follette School of Public Affairs in 2019 after 10 years as the Career & Internship Specialist for Government/Policy/International Affairs & Law (GPIAL) at SuccessWorks. She brings expertise in applying to federal/state/local government agencies and has worked with students applying to virtually every area of public service including AmeriCorps/Peace Corps, Congressional/State Legislature positions, nonprofit organizations, consulting firms, and many more. Marie is on the Steering Committees of UW-Madison’s Wisconsin in Washington (WiW) program and the Government College Relations Council (GCRC) – a group that works to create strong connections between member universities and government agencies and hosts a Government Career Fair in Chicago every November. She also serves on the Law & Public Policy Working Group (which she co-founded), and several campus wide committees.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in corporate finance from Drake University and her master’s in counseling from Concordia University. Before joining UW-Madison, she worked at Concordia University-Chicago, Florida Gulf Coast University, and The University of Nevada–Reno in career and academic advising roles.

Student Guests:

Katie Gienapp (she/her) is a Master of Public Affairs and M.S. in Urban & Regional Planning double degree student. Although she has lived many different places as the daughter of a former Air Force pilot, she always calls Wisconsin her home. Katie recently earned her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Wheaton College (IL), where she wrote her senior thesis about the impact of place on social engagement. During her undergraduate career, she participated in multiple organizations that promoted antiracism and illuminated gender inequity. Her experiences as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in an assisted living facility, an administrator at her campus’ Military and Veteran Services Office, and a research assistant investigating Chicago’s social and ecclesial demographics have also helped her understand the various economic, racial, and gendered realities within the United States.

Troy Wilson (He/Him) is a rising senior in the accelerated MPA program. In the summer of 2022, he had the opportunity to study and intern in Washington D.C. at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). To become a policy maker that upholds our Wisconsin Idea, Troy seeks to apply his experience at NCSL and La Follette. He believes the best assets to achieving success are through his La Follette professors and cohort. Troy’s research interests are ameliorating systemic inequalities and inequities, specifically, urban food deserts, while implementing green infrastructure to address climate change. Outside of school, Troy always looks for places to get coffee, play guitar and play basketball.