Empowering Law Enforcement Officers to Lead: Ari’s MPAL story

Ari Ross has spent her career in service to her community as a police officer and to her country as a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. After eight years in law enforcement, including time as a state trooper and as an officer with The Ohio State University Police Division, she made a bold decision: To step away from full-time duty and focus on her future by enrolling full-time in the Master of Public Administration and Leadership (MPAL) program at The Ohio State University’s  John Glenn College of Public Affairs. 

Her story reflects both the flexibility and the challenge of the MPAL program, and aligning her education with her long-term goal of becoming a federal agent. 

An online degree that fits your life 

For many professionals, especially those in law enforcement or the military, the idea of returning to school can feel daunting. Juggling work, family, and studies often means putting dreams of advancement on hold. For Ari, waiting wasn’t an option. 

“There is an age cutoff for federal agencies,” she explained. “I wanted to make sure that I was able to meet that age requirement. I wanted to be able to sincerely focus on my studies. I don’t feel that in undergrad I really had that opportunity because I work a lot, and I wanted to really dedicate myself to my studies.”

Her dream to transition to federal service was a key motivation. “My professional motivation for pursuing a master’s in public administration and leadership degree was because I wanted to work in federal law enforcement eventually. That’s always been very appealing to me, and I wanted to make sure that I was prepared for that.” 

While most students complete the MPAL program part-time while working, Ari chose the full-time path. “The amount of time it took to complete the program was the biggest factor. I’ll finish in two and a half years. Most people working fulltime may take three or four years. It was a personal decision.” 

Ari’s decision shows that the MPAL program is flexible by design, whether you want to balance work and school or go all-in on your education.

A personalized curriculum based on career goals 

Ohio State’s MPAL program offers several specialization tracks. For Ari, the criminal justice administration track was an easy choice in earning an online degree for law enforcement. 

“A Master’s in Public Administration and Leadership was a good fit for me because I think that the criminal justice track aligned more with what I saw myself doing in the future,” she said. 

With nearly a decade of experience as a sworn officer, Ari came into the program with deep knowledge of law enforcement. But the coursework expanded her understanding of the justice system as a whole. 

“As a police officer, I really only get to see things from one side. Being able to see things from a criminal justice standpoint, from an inmate standpoint, and then also in the juvenile system as well, has really opened up my eyes.” 

Although what Ari knows about law has been from her time as a law enforcement officer, “being able to understand things like recidivism and its underlying factors are very important to me,” she said of her time in the MPAL program. 

Military roots, mission-driven focus 

Ari’s service began long before her law enforcement career. She served in the United States Air Force, an experience that instilled in her a sense of discipline and direction. That military background also helped prepare her for the demands of online learning. 

“In the military, time management is something that they really stress,” she said. “I was in the military over 10 years ago, and even though being an officer, every day is different and managing your time is different for every agency.” 

“Being in school has helped me to concentrate more on one specific thing, and it’s taught me to prioritize what’s important to me.” 

She’s also been able to use her military education benefits at Ohio State. 

“Here at Ohio State, I have been able to utilize my military benefit for the MPAL program, which has been really good as well.” 

Ohio State offers additional military and veteran support through its Service to Service initiative, designed to help veterans transition into civilian careers through graduate education, mentorship and professional development.

Support, community, and the John Glenn College of Public Affairs culture 

Ohio State’s MPAL program is offered 100% online, with asynchronous coursework that students can complete on their own schedules. That flexibility was essential to Ari; first as a working officer, and now as a full-time student preparing for a federal role. 

“The flexibility of the MPAL program here at Ohio State has been really good for me,” she said. “Depending on how many classes I’m taking a semester, I am able to adjust things for myself.” 

What stood out to her wasn’t just the format, but the people. 

“The John Glenn College culture, for me, has been a very inviting one,” Ari said. “I’ve really thoroughly enjoyed my advisor and all of my professors. I love that they have an open-door policy. If I have any questions or concerns, I can go to anyone in the college and I know I’ll get help, even if they aren’t my professor.” 

Even in an online environment, Ari felt a strong sense of connection within her cohort. “I really enjoy being able to see familiar faces in each class each semester. That’s something that brings me a little comfort.” 

She also appreciates the diversity of experiences in her classmates. “One of the great things about how the MPAL program is designed is that the professionals that are in the program come in with a wealth of knowledge and experience from diverse backgrounds. It’s great to learn from them and also share my professional experience with them.” 

Developing skills to lead 

Leadership is more than a subject in the MPAL program, it’s a lived experience. Through project-based coursework and collaboration with classmates, Ari said she’s built both skills and confidence. 

“The MPAL program has positioned me for my next step in federal law enforcement by giving me more confidence. I have eight years of law enforcement experience, but I feel like after completing this program, I’ve met an array of people that have helped open my eyes to different problems in the criminal justice system that I’ll be able to explore and work on in the federal sector.” 

She also cited the value of leadership development within the curriculum. 

“They challenge you to think for yourself. If you don’t know something, go seek it out. That’s something I really enjoy. Even if you came in not knowing anything, you leave the program almost an expert in your track.” 

Ari credits faculty like Dr. Bartman, known affectionately as “Dr. B,” for pushing her to succeed. “Her class was very challenging, and I look forward to the challenge again in my capstone. She’s very encouraging. She always makes sure to keep her lines of communication open, and that was something that was very important to me.” 

Advice for officers considering the MPAL program 

To other law enforcement professionals thinking about a graduate degree, Ari’s advice is simple: “Just do it.” 

“In law enforcement, every day is different. We work long hours, and one of the problems is that we always think we don’t have enough time. I think you have to make time.” 

“I know there are a lot of challenges, but at the same time, you have to think about what’s best for your future,” she said. 

Her suggestion for easing in: “Start off slow, maybe take one or two classes at a time, and then pick up momentum from there.” 

If you’re looking to rise through the ranks, transition to federal service, or bring new insight into your agency, the MPAL program offers a path forward. Plus, you don’t have to quit your job to succeed. 

While Ari’s story shows what’s possible full-time, most students complete the program while working, allowing them to immediately apply their skills and learnings into their jobs to excel in their careers.