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Vladislav Steere
  • Class of 2014
  • Columbia, SC

Vladislav Steere Graduates from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University

2014 May 15

On Saturday, May 10, 2014, Vladislav Steere from Columbia, SC, graduated from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.

The Bush School of Government and Public Service reached another landmark as its 1,038th graduate crossed the stage in Reed Arena. Less than twenty years since its founding, the School has grown dramatically, with applications increasing as the institution's reputation for academic and research excellence and principled leadership training has grown among peer institutions.

The School is now ranked in the top 12 percent of the 266 graduate public affairs schools in the nation, according to rankings published in U.S. News & World Report. It ranks thirty-third among both public and private public affairs graduate programs and twenty-first among public university programs.

On April 22, graduating students were awarded certificates for additional work they had completed in leadership development and writing. Some seventy-nine students were recognized for completing requirements for the Dean's Certificate in Leadership or the Writing Portfolio Project. Students in the leadership development project each created an individual leadership plan, including a self-evaluation. They then took part in public service leadership projects as part of the program's workshops and individual leadership coaching sessions. Students in the writing project aimed to improve their writing and critical evaluation skills. They also created a writing portfolio to use when seeking post-graduate employment.

This year's graduates will be working in federal, state, and local government, as well as in the private sector, bringing the skills they have honed at the School during their classroom work and Capstone research projects. This year's Capstones included studies on diverse issues affecting Texas and other locales in the US as well as international issues relating to China, Eastern Congo, and Iran.

Bush School Dean Ryan Crocker noted the importance of passing the 1,000 graduate mark. "It is remarkable to have reached this impressive milestone less than twenty years after our founding. We have sent, and will continue to send forth remarkable young people who are trained as principled leaders and who are continuing the tradition of service that is a hallmark of our namesake, President George H.W. Bush," he said.