News

The LBJ School of Public Affairs celebrated June 19 with its third annual “Juneteenth Freedom Summit on Freedom Dreams: A Reimagining of Culture, Politics and Law.” Center for the Study of Race and Democracy (CSRD) Founding Director Peniel Joseph led the three-hour event among a cohort of other academic scholars and community leaders to make sense of the holiday’s politics, history, and contemporary policy challenges in Texas and abroad.

The eighth cohort of graduate students in the LBJ School of Public Affairs's unique and accelerated DC Concentration have begun their Policy Apprenticeships in Washington, DC.

LBJ alum Matthew Randazzo (MPAff '03) was recently named Greater Cincinnati Foundation's next president and CEO. As the leader of the 35th largest U.S. community foundation, Randazzo will lead the way to implement initiatives that address community needs with a focus on affordable housing, economic mobility, and education.

Florida State University has named three-time alumnus David W. Springer as dean of the College of Social Work following a national search. Springer will begin his new role Aug. 1.

Deborah Cartwright said her time at the LBJ School was "better than undergraduate and law schools." Among her many memories in the program was having a picnic with Lady Bird Johnson at the ranch on the Pedernales River where they discussed President Johnson's vision for the school and what Lady Bird wanted the students to learn from the experience.

The LBJ Foundation honored Willie Nelson with the foundation's highest honor, the LBJ Liberty & Justice for All Award, at an outdoor gala on Friday, May 12, at the LBJ Presidential Library. Musicians Eric Church, Sam Hunt, Elle King and Lyle Lovett played musical tributes to Nelson and Mark K. Updegrove interviewed the Texas legend. Net proceeds from the gala will benefit the newly established Willie Nelson Endowment for Uplifting Rural Communities at the LBJ School. 

Philip Gurley graduated from the LBJ School with a master's in global policy in 2022. He currently works at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago and caught up with his alma mater to reflect on his time at the school.

In a display of passion, intellect and dedication to public service, the LBJ School of Public Affairs Class of 2023 took center stage on May 6, prepared to make an indelible mark as future changemakers.

This year our achievements have set us apart as a leading institution in public policy education. 
I want to express my deepest gratitude to our incredible faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters. It is because of you that we continue to thrive as an example of excellence in shaping the future of public policy leadership.

Geoff Carlisle was an eighth-grade science and sex education teacher for 12 years, both in Mississippi and Texas. He found himself consistently frustrated by policies that were out of touch with the realities of classroom teaching and clearly not informed by individuals with teaching experience.