By Natalie Davenport
I would like to thank Michigan Municipal Executives and the Professional Development Committee for granting me a scholarship to attend the 2020 Winter Institute in Gaylord, Michigan. As code enforcement officer and intern for the Village of Sparta, I first heard about the conference from my boss, Julius Suchy. The conference was full of networking, thought-provoking presentations, and interactive workshops. My favorite workshops at the conference were “Bringing Your Best Self to the Job Search” and “Lead Level Exceedance Panel.” In the former, Heidi Voorhees of GovHR went over some tips for strengthening your resume, as well as best practices for interviewing. This workshop contained valuable information that I will always carry with me in my professional career. In the Lead Level Exceedance Panel, we discussed real-life practices and procedures local municipalities are facing in an unfortunate yet palpable reality in Michigan.
My first professional conference experience was at the MLGMA 2016 Winter Institute in Port Huron. I attended this conference while I was an undergraduate student studying public administration at Central Michigan University. However, I have advanced tremendously in my career and education since then, making the 2020 Winter Institute even more applicable to where I am at now. I recently was accepted to the Master of Public Administration Program at Grand Valley State University and am expected to graduate in December 2021. The conference provided real-life context to what I am currently studying, and I have already been able to apply what I have learned from the conference to my job in Sparta.
After meeting numerous municipal managers who graciously shared their advice and experiences with me, I feel encouraged to continue my education and career path in the world of local government. However, I would not have been able to attend the conference without this scholarship. Thank you MME for providing me with this opportunity – I look forward to attending more in the future!
Natalie Davenport
Intern & Code Enforcement Officer
Village of Sparta