There's pride in the voice of Steve Robson '22 when he reflects on the graduate degree he earned through the unique Lynn University and Broward Sheriff's Office's (BSO) Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) program. After all, Robson wasn't just one of ten graduates in the program's inaugural cohort—he's also proof of the program's success.
Previously the BSO Department of Preparedness and Response colonel, Robson was recently promoted to undersheriff and is now responsible for all BSO operations, from the fire department to law enforcement budget and beyond. It's a promotion he says he gained, in large part, because of his M.P.A.
The specialized and collaborative pilot program, which saw double the number of graduates in three years, is now on its fourth cohort. There are well over 30 graduates with a master's degree within BSO going through the program, which prepares officers with the skills to lead effectively and implement meaningful policies.
Launching with Lynn
Robson, who has an undergraduate degree in public administration and served as BSO's executive director of training, had been promoted to colonel when he decided to refine his leadership skills and expand his knowledge by pursuing—and helping to form—an M.P.A. program.
At the time, Robson was already running a training mission with regional services and special operations. With support from BSO, Robson sought out a public administration program, carefully evaluating different universities. "There's tuition reimbursement with BSO. We knew if we were going to pay for training, that we wanted it to be an accredited program with a high-caliber university like Lynn," said Robson.
He met with Steve Pruitt, director of graduate and online admission at Lynn, and pitched him the idea. Robson, who had a hybrid experience as an undergrad, understood the gap between what students gain through in-person learning versus online education. To craft a cohort, he envisioned a program that offered the best of both worlds: one in which students and professors could meet face-to-face, collaborate, share ideas and "cross-pollinate" across disciplines within the BSO agency.
"I wanted students to gain interpersonal skills, build relationships with professors and the university, and gain real-world experience and exposure," said Robson. "That combination of in-person and online classroom exposure was a new idea nobody was doing. Steve Pruitt said, 'We can make that work' – and we got the ball rolling."
Given that the M.P.A. partnership was Robson's "brainchild," he knew he had to be a part of the pilot program himself.
"I wanted to lead by example," said Robson. "I was going to show everyone that if I could earn my graduate degree with my demanding career and heavy workload, they could, too."
Cohort I launched in 2022, with Robson—a full-time professional—as a student.
The students gathered in the Training Division classroom at BSO headquarters for a couple of hours each week, while the online portion was delivered via Canvas. Professors used Zoom with each group once a week for at least an hour per class.
"Everyone held up their end of the bargain. BSO made sure everyone was held accountable and attended class, and Lynn professors always showed up with enthusiasm," said Robson. "It was a total success. Lynn is a great partner."
Professional development
Robson continues to receive excellent feedback from other graduates of the program who say the experience gave them opportunities to collaborate, forge lasting bonds and career networks, and learn from those with different perspectives and roles.
"One major benefit of the program is that students gain experience and exposure across various facets of law enforcement—from communications to detention—that wouldn't have necessarily been part of their career path," said Robson. "We've been able to learn from those with completely different jobs than ours and understand how each course's content related to each of us and our roles. It made for a truly great and well-rounded experience."
There were two major components to the program that helped Robson stand out for his promotion to undersheriff: HR and budgeting.
In the HR course, students learn about the life cycle of an employee, from recruiting, vetting and hiring to training, performance measurement, and promotion or termination. The budgeting course covered government structure, funding, forecasting, capital replacement strategies for assets and more.
"The education I received through the program, and realizing how applicable those skills were to my career, helped me tremendously in my professional development and made me more efficient at my job," said Robson. "I now have a different credibility and rank in position because of this program."
"A symbol of pride"
As Robson reflects on the M.P.A. program's growth and success, as well as the trajectory of his career, he is filled with gratitude, pride and excitement for the future of BSO's relationship with Lynn.
"I'm forever grateful to Lynn for their flexibility and sincerity. To trust in the concept I brought forward, putting the program together with their existing and accredited platform, showed a lot of faith," said Robson. "Together, we delivered a unique graduate program to our agency."
Robson is reminded of the program's impact every time he looks up at the diploma hanging on the wall in his office.
"Seeing the 'Lynn' name next to my degree means something to me. It's a distinguished university and a symbol of pride."
For more information on Lynn's M.P.A. program, visit lynn.edu/mpa.
