Alumni

Lauren Forbis

Lauren Forbis started the MPA program as a part-time student in January 2017 with a specialization in the Nonprofit Management Concentration. While earning her BA in Human Service Studies from Elon University, Lauren interned at a sexual assault center in Burlington. Through this internship, she found a passion for trauma and crisis work, while also realizing the need for collaborative and cooperative work among agencies. Since graduating from Elon in 2015, Lauren has worked at United Way of Alamance County and a United Way partner agency.  She now is the Marketing & Communications Manager at United Way of Greater Greensboro, deepening her roots in the Gate City.

Lauren believes the MPA program will provide her with skills and knowledge to understand the challenges of advocacy and public policy work, specifically in her goal to alleviate poverty for women and children who have experienced trauma. “The Masters in Public Affairs degree is the ideal program for me because of its interdisciplinary approach. In looking to address decades of inequality, it is crucial to study from many different angles. The diverse course load will prepare me for a long career in many different roles,” she says.