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Kevin D. Ward, PhD
Director, Bachelors of Public Administration Program
Professor
Kevin Ward is a Professor and Director of the Public Affairs program at Seattle University.
Biography
Expertise: Kevin Ward is Professor and Director of the Public Affairs program at Seattle University. With a career spanning public policy, nonprofit advocacy, and national service, Kevin’s research and teaching focus on the intersection of the public and nonprofit sectors. His work examines how nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and policymakers work together to create sustainable, lasting change.
Brief bio: Shortly after earning his undergraduate degree, Kevin served two years in the national service program AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), which was a transformative experience. He then held several positions with nonprofit organizations in Colorado. He has worked as a researcher on large grants with the RAND Corporation and the Urban Institute. He holds a Ph.D. and MPA from the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado, Denver and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Illinois.
Kevin Ward CV (PDF)
Education
- Ph.D., Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver, 2011
- Master of Public Administration (MPA), University of Colorado Denver, 2006
- B.A. Economics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 2002
Courses Taught
- Bachelor of Public Affairs (BPA) program courses: Policy Analysis and Senior Synthesis.
- Master of Public Administration (MPA) program courses: Policy Process and Capstone in Public Service.
"I teach courses that emphasize the process of defining problems, formulating or considering solutions, and making recommendations. In every class, I am energized by the issues that students choose to explore, and ultimately the solutions they propose. My students give me hope because I know they are working to address some of the most pressing issues facing our communities."
—Kevin D. Ward
Publications
- Ward, K.D., Grasse, N., & Lecy, J. (Forthcoming). Examining the Association between State Lobbying Regulations and Nonprofit Lobbying Expenditures. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.
- Ward, K. D., Mason, D. P., Park, G., & Fyall, R. (2023). Exploring Nonprofit Advocacy Research Methods and Design: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 52(5), 1210–1231. Exploring Nonprofit Advocacy Research Methods and Design: A Systematic Review of the Literature - Kevin D. Ward, Dyana P. Mason, Gowun Park, Rachel Fyall, 2023
- Ward, K. D., & Miller-Stevens, K. (2021). Public Service Motivation Among Nonprofit Board Members and the Influence of Primary Sector of Employment. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 50(2), 312–334. Public Service Motivation Among Nonprofit Board Members and the Influence of Primary Sector of Employment - Kevin D. Ward, Katrina Miller-Stevens, 2021
- Grasse, N., Ward, K. D. and Miller-Stevens, K. (2021). To Lobby or Not to Lobby? Examining the Determinants of Nonprofit Organizations Taking the IRS 501(h) Election. Policy Studies Journal, 49(1), 242-267. To Lobby or Not to Lobby? Examining the Determinants of Nonprofit Organizations Taking the IRS 501(h) Election
- Ward, K. D. (2019). Suited to Serve: The Antecedents and Perceptions of Public Service Motivation in National Service. International Public Management Journal, 22(1), 71-98. Suited to Serve: The Antecedents and Perceptions of Public Service Motivation in National Service
- Miller-Stevens, K. & Ward, K. D. (2019). Nonprofit Board Members’ Reasons to Join and Continue Serving on a Volunteer Board of Directors: Understanding Motives to Improve Organizational Effectiveness. Journal of Nonprofit and Public Sector Marketing,31(1), 61-83. Nonprofit Board Members’ Reasons to Join and Continue Serving on a Volunteer Board of Directors
- Ward, K. D., Varda, D. M., Epstein, D., & Lane, B. (2018). Institutional Factors and Processes in Interagency Collaboration: The Case of FEMA Corps. The American Review of Public Administration, 48(8), 852–871. Institutional Factors and Processes in Interagency Collaboration: The Case of FEMA Corps - Kevin D. Ward, Danielle M. Varda, Diana Epstein, Barbara Lane, 2018
- Ward, K. D., Epstein, D., Varda, D., & Lane, B. (2017). Measuring Performance in Interagency Collaboration: FEMA Corps. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy, 8(3), 172-200. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy | PSO Journal | Wiley Online Library
- Ward, K. D. (2014). Cultivating Public Service Motivation through National Service: A Longitudinal Study. Public Administration Review, 74(1), 114-125. Public Administration Review | ASPA Journal | Wiley Online Library
- Ward, K. D. (2014). Tapping the AmeriCorps Pipeline: Using Secondary Data to Test the Public Service Motivation Construct. Public Personnel Management 43(2), 240-258. Tapping the Americorps Pipeline: Using Secondary Data to Test the Public Service Motivation Construct - Kevin D. Ward, 2014
- Ward, K. D. (2014). Does Service Beget Service? Examining the Impact of Participation in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps on Disaster Relief Activity Later in Life. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy,4(2), 110-127. Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy | PSO Journal | Wiley Online Library
- Miller-Stevens, K., Ward, K. D. & Neil, K. (2014). Motivated to Serve: A Public Service Motivation Perspective on Nonprofit Board Membership. Journal of Nonprofit Education and Leadership,4(2), 162-178.
- Davis, L.M., Pollard, M., Ward, K. D., Wilson, J., Varda, D., Hansell, L., Steinberg, P. (October 2010). “Long-Term Effects of Law Enforcement’s Post-9/11 Focus on Counterterrorism and Homeland Security.” RAND Corporation Monograph.
Publications and Media
Kevin’s research interests include nonprofit lobbying and advocacy, national service programs such as AmeriCorps, and motivations of public and nonprofit employees. His research has appeared in Public Administration Review, Policy Studies Journal, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, American Review of Public Administration, International Public Management Journal, and several other top public administration journals. His Google Scholar profile can be found here. His essays and op-eds on national service have appeared in the Seattle Times and Huffington Post.