IPA Staff Spotlight: Associate Policy Scientist Fran Fletcher

Q: IPA's mission is "serving the public good, shaping tomorrow's leaders." How has this become realized in the work you've done here?

A: "The work with grad and undergrad students has been an opportunity to expose students to a huge variety of project management and training. You try to match your activities with things that they're ideally interested in, but if they're not interested in it there's still that opportunity to expand their horizons. There are many other success stories where the students are concerned not only when it comes to our own hands-on work, but what we're able to instill with students, the experiences we're able to give them, and to see how that impacts them. Many of the students will leave saying, "Well, it was fun, or I liked it, but it's really not what I want or what I'm looking for," and then they will contact us six months, one, or two, or even more years later and say, "Oh, I learned so much from that experienced that I'm able to use today." I think that is probably the most rewarding part."

Q: What's your advice to those in the public administration field who are looking to make the most of their experience giving back and serving the public?

A: "I think certainly following your passion. I don't think that there's any person that I've worked with that hasn't had a passion for the work that IPA does and for the mission and the vision that we all hold close to our hearts. Always keeping sight of all pieces of life and don't just becoming work-centered."

Q: What are some of your fondest IPA moments or projects?

A: "In general, I can honestly say there's never been a project in IPA or specifically within the Conflict Resolution Program that I've been engaged in that I haven't loved doing, even the challenging ones. Challenging can be from a lot of different perspectives. It could be the personalities, the projects itself, or where it is within Delaware because we cover the entire state. But I think if I had to pick one category of work it would have to be the special education workbeing a facilitator of meetings between school personnel and parents regarding their children with special needs; as well as being a mediator; and then having the opportunity to go train educators, parents, and advocates on best practices of how to work collaboratively together has really fueled my soul."

"I love that work and I will miss that piece of the work, but it's an honor to help people in conflict and try to help them get through it, to the other side, and to something that's agreeable for everyone. That kind of follows my passion for the things that I do in life. I've been a hospice volunteer for 27 years, and so helping people through difficult times by just being there and being a good listener. It's not necessarily problem-solving because they're not my problems. Special Education is not necessarily my problem, hospice care is not my problem, but to be there in support of others as they're trying to maneuver through all that comes with those scenarios has just been an honor for all of these years."