UGA's Amazing Students
Tyler P. Reinagel
A passion for local government has driven Tyler Reinagel to pursue his doctoral degree in public administration and policy. Tyler lives by the motto of a man he wishes he could have met, Robert F. Kennedy, who said, “...the purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.”
Expected graduation:
Spring 2013
Degree objective:
Ph.D., Public Administration and Policy
University highlights, achievements and awards:
My time in Public Service and Outreach has been the most rewarding experience at UGA. In addition, I had the opportunity to serve as the secretary/treasurer for Georgia Students for Public Administration; I have been a part of two grant-funded research projects on university-community partnerships and stakeholder engagement efforts on the Georgia coast; I’ve been recognized by the Georgia Municipal Association for my research work and classroom efforts; and I work as primary author for the Oglethorpe County Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan.
Hometown:
Woodstock, Ga.
High School:
Woodstock High School
Current Employment:
Senior Doctoral Fellow, Fanning Institute in the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach
Family Ties to UGA:
My uncle, Timothy Reinagel, graduated from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences with a B.S.A. in 1989.
I chose to attend UGA because...
I am a born and raised Georgian and went to college in New York City, so not only was Georgia a pleasant homecoming, but UGA’s master of public administration program is one of the top ranked in the nation. Once I realized my passion for local government, the field work my time at the Fanning Institute provided and the research opportunities a Ph.D. from UGA would present me, staying for my doctoral degree was a natural choice.
My favorite things to do on campus are...
I love meeting people from all over Georgia. I believe that the only place in the state with a more diverse cross-section of Georgians is the Capitol building in Atlanta. Anyone that comes to Athens and doesn’t get to know the people from all reaches of our state is missing out.
When I have free time, I like...
reading. I spend so much of my time with public administration research and literature that I rarely have time for recreational reading.
The craziest thing I've done is...
One Saturday while I was in college, I decided to circumnavigate the island of Manhattan—on foot.
My favorite place to study is...
the basement of Walker’s Pub downtown. My office at the Fanning Institute is great, but the public service faculty and staff I’m privileged to work with every day are so creative, energetic and talented that quiet study time is often hard to come by. As counter-intuitive as it may be, I can often focus more on my studying in a loud coffee house than in my own office.
My favorite professor is...
too hard to identify. After five years in the department of public administration and policy, I have been presented with more opportunities, support and encouragement than any one person deserves. Suffice it to say, our department is not lacking in amazing faculty members who aren’t letting me lose sight of why I’m doing what I’m doing.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with...
Bobby Kennedy. The 1950s-1960s are my favorite period in American history (and my primary motivation for majoring in American Studies in college), and I have long admired the Kennedy family for their commitment to their faith, their family and public service. RFK has long been a great “what if” of American history, and I would love to spend time with him not as the brother of the president, not as a “would be” president, but as the realistic, forward thinking, hard working man who he was. I would cherish the time I could spend with the man who reminded us that “the purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.”
If I knew I could not fail, I would...
become a back-up musician for Jimmy Buffett.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be...
karaoke nights with my M.P.A. 2009 cohort. We were tone deaf, off-key and lacking any rhythm, but I graduated with a great group of people, loyal friends and committed public servants.