For four Ohio State University Police Division (OSUPD) and Department of Public Safety (DPS) employees, serving Buckeyes is about more than the work they do on campus. It’s also about continuing to learn, grow and prepare for the future.
OSUPD Deputy Chief Alan Horujko, OSUPD Detective Corey Manley, DPS Communications Supervisor Merle Vaessin and DPS Property Room Coordinator and Court Liaison Jason Ross each earned their master’s degrees from The Ohio State University.
Horujko earned a Master of Public Administration and Leadership (MPAL) through Ohio State’s John Glenn College of Public Affairs. The program’s focus on high-level management and administration in government and public service has already influenced his work as deputy chief.
“Being both an undergraduate and now a master’s graduate of Ohio State is more than just earning a credential,” said Horujko. “Specific coursework, combined with broader trends in public administration have expanded my understanding of how to be a more effective leader for my Buckeye community and better serve both the public and our first responders.”
Vaessin also earned an MPAL and focused her capstone project on developing a new policy process that incorporates even greater collaboration among DPS divisions, beginning with OSUPD.
“I started my graduate journey here at Ohio State because I had just been promoted as a new communications supervisor and I wanted to develop skills that I could use to help better my division,” said Vaessin. “This degree has already started helping me reach that goal.”
Vaessin has also encouraged colleagues to pursue their own educational goals. She stated some DPS dispatchers have already begun degree programs at the university.
For Manley, earning an MPAL provided an opportunity to build on nearly every aspect of his law enforcement experience.
“This degree has helped me look at public safety from a broader perspective,” said Manley. “I believe it will help me continue to grow as a leader at OSUPD and find new ways to improve our operations, partnerships and service to the university community.”
Ross earned a master’s degree in the Study of Law, completing the Compliance Track to strengthen his understanding of compliance in several areas. As a compliance specialist with OSUPD, he said the program provided knowledge he could apply directly to his work.
“Being an Ohio State graduate is very important to me,” said Ross. “My grandfather received his degree from Ohio State. The advice he gave me was to never stop learning, so that’s what I did and will continue to do.”