School of Public Affairs and Administration

Western students involved in a MLK scheduled event.

The Center for Excellence and Research in Public Service (CERPS)

At Western Michigan University, the Center for Excellence and Research in Public Service (CERPS) creates a network connecting students with organizations in the public and nonprofit sectors.

School of Public Affairs and Administration
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5440 USA
(269) 387-8932

About CERPS

Western Michigan University’s CERPS advances experience-driven learning, community engagement, and research in public and nonprofit administration. 

Our mission is to provide students with exposure to professionals through internships, volunteer opportunities, and career placements. We facilitate connections with various organizations, including federal and state agencies, local governments, tribal governments, nonprofits, and private sector firms involved in government outreach, compliance, and start-ups. 

CERPS actively recruits community organizations to participate in this network, ensuring a continuous stream of opportunities for student engagement. Additionally, CERPS supports these organizations through courses offered by the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA), tackling projects such as strategic planning, budgeting, and evaluation. 

Daniela Schröter, Ph.D.

Dr. Schröter is an Associate Professor in WMU’s SPAA, WMU’s Presidential Innovation Professor (2024-2027), and an evaluation consultant. She imbues many of her courses with projects from local and national nonprofit organizations to provide students with hands-on opportunities in planning programs, performance measurement, evaluations, and grant writing. Dr. Schröter is the principal investigator of the CERPS program.

Izzy Pratt

Izzy is a fourth-year undergraduate student double majoring in Musical Arts and Public and Nonprofit Administration. She is a participant in the Accelerated Graduate Degree Program, seeking a Master’s in Public Administration with a specialty in Nonprofit Administration. Izzy wishes to pursue a career in Arts Administration, hoping to further support for arts education across the country.

Robert Carico

Robert is pursuing an Master's in Public Administration at WMU. He holds an Associate’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Public and Nonprofit Administration and Environment and Sustainability. Robert’s key interests are the green industry and environmental justice.  He is currently a volunteer for Battle Creek’s NAACP Branch, serving as the Chair of the Environmental Justice and Labor and Economic Committees.

Zion Bahre

Zion Bahre is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Statistics and minoring in Biological Sciences and Comparative Religion. She has always been inclined towards nonprofit organizations and is passionate about making a positive impact in the world. Bahre aims to pursue a graduate degree in Public and Nonprofit Administration to further a career in prominent NGOs, such as the United Nations or the World Health Organization.

Prior contributors

Vincent Reitano, Ph.D.

Dr. Vincent Reitano co-initiated the grant and served as its co-principal investigator.

Heather Jach Turner, Ph.D.

Dr. Turner holds a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Adler University, and an M.P.A from Western Michigan University. She serves as an adjunct professor at the School of Public Affairs and Administration and teaches courses such as Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations, Human Resource Management, and Managing Nonprofit Organizations. In addition to teaching at Western Michigan University, Dr. Jach Turner consults with Kalamazoo nonprofits in the areas of fundraising, organizational development and capacity building.

Bea Renner

Bea Renner is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Cybersecurity and double minoring in Music and Criminal Justice. With a strong commitment to public service, Bea wishes to pursue a career with the Michigan State Police as a forensic analyst. Her goal is to use her technical skills and criminal justice knowledge to aid the public.

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Upcoming CERPS events

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Get involved

Are you interested in getting involved with CERPS or just have questions? Email us at spaa-cerps@wmich.edu or fill out one of the forms below!

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CERPS is a quasi-endowment under WMU. We provide research, engagement, education, and human resources to the nonprofit and public community. Our work seeks to identify strengths, weaknesses, and synergies between our programming and the community to enable streamlined programming and project-based learning that yield highly competent graduates and in the process serve the larger community and their needs.
 
Support the work of CERPS financially down below, or donate your time under the get involved section. Both options are greatly appreciated and make a significant difference in the continued success of the program.