North Texas City Managers Discuss Growth

The Austin College 2019 Public Administration Symposium will address city planning for communities like Sherman and Denison that are facing an inevitable surge in growth. The event, “In the Path of Growth: How Change Drives City Planning,” is scheduled for April 4 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Wright Campus Center. The symposium sessions are free and open to the public but reservations are required. Those wishing to attend should email frohmer@austincollege.edu by April 1.  

“The overall vision of the symposium is to increase student awareness of the possibilities of a career in public service at a local level,” said Frank Rohmer, associate professor of political science and John D. Moseley Chair in Government and Public Policy. “It seems to me the challenges we face are the very kind that a liberal arts student is best trained to address. This year’s theme should be of interest not only to political science majors, but also to students in economics, business, sociology, anthropology, and leadership.”

Sherman City Manager Robbie Hefton and Denison City Manager Judson Rex begin the symposium with a panel discussion titled, “Thinking Big, Thinking Future.” Cary S. Wacker, associate vice president for Institutional Advancement at Austin College, will moderate the panel.

A second panel includes McKinney City Manager Paul Grimes and Frisco Deputy City Manager Henry J. Hill III in a discussion titled, “The Trajectory of Success.” The panel chair is Nathan Bigelow, Austin College associate professor of political science.

Both panels will meet in Wright Campus Center, Room 254.

Dan Johnson, city manager for the City of Richardson, will deliver the keynote address at a luncheon beginning at noon in Mabee Hall.

The annual event is sponsored by the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation of Dallas, as well as Austin College’s Political Science Department, Pre-Law Society, and Student Assembly.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with 46 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and more than 100 expert faculty members allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Austin College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.