Which Public Administration Programs Are Producing NAPA Fellows?

Students tracking the National Academy of Public Administration often ask which MPA programs and MPP programs are producing the next class of Fellows. The 2027 roster is not yet public as of October 2026, so the best available signal is the 2026 class and the Academy's directory of more than 1,000 current Fellows.

That 2026 class includes 64 leaders, including two George Washington University academic leaders. Their selection shows how the honor bridges domestic political management and international affairs. Program-level patterns in the Academy directory, including the distinction between faculty and alumni Fellows, are a better early signal than any single year's announcements.

Where the 2026 NAPA Class Stands Right Now

Have any 2027 Academy Fellows been named, and when should current MPA and MPP students expect NAPA to announce the new class?

What NAPA has published for 2027

As of October 2026, NAPA has not named a 2027 class of Fellows. The Academy's fall 2026 materials show 2027 Fellow recruitment on the agenda and nominations open. The nomination notice lists an April 30 deadline, up to five nominees per nominator, and a two-Fellow seconding requirement, but the notice does not specify a class year, so treat that deadline as unconfirmed for 2027. No official 2027 election or announcement date has been published.

When to expect the announcement

NAPA's recent annual cycle offers a practical timeline, not a promise. The 2026 class was approved by the board on September 25, 2026, announced publicly on September 28, and inducted during the National Conference from November 8 to 10, 2026.¹ If 2027 follows the same fall pattern, expect board approval and public announcement in late September 2027, with induction at that year's National Conference.

One quick disambiguation: Academy Fellows of the National Academy of Public Administration are not the same as NPA IMPACT, the North American Professionals Association, or Governor's Fellows Programs. This Fellowship is a career-long recognition in public administration and policy.

What to watch

Check NAPA's news page for the official 2027 class announcement, and use the online Fellows directory after the fall approval window to see which universities have new Fellows.

What a NAPA Fellowship Signals for Public Administration Education

Election to the National Academy of Public Administration is a career-level distinction, not a credential a student can earn through coursework. NAPA is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that helps government leaders build more effective, efficient, accountable and transparent organizations. That mission makes the fellowship a signal of applied impact: honorees have usually shaped public institutions through policy, management or research.

Three takeaways for students in MPA or MPP Degree programs:

• It marks sustained contribution. Fellows are chosen for long records in public service, scholarship or cross-sector leadership, not for passing an exam, finishing a degree, or completing public sector professional certification programs.
• It opens a broad professional network. The academy's 1,000+ current Fellows include former cabinet officers, members of Congress, governors, mayors, state legislators, scholars, executives and nonprofit leaders.
• It signals institutional visibility. When a program's faculty or deans hold this honor, prospective students can see the program's connections to national policy and administrative leadership, but the fellowship itself remains a recognition of the individual, not a ranking factor for the school.

This is why NAPA recognition appears in program profiles but is not a substitute for placement data.

The 2026 Class: Two GW Leaders and What Their Paths Show

George Washington University placed two academic leaders in the 2026 National Academy of Public Administration class of 64 fellows. Their selection shows how the honor now bridges domestic political management and international affairs.

According to GW Today, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Alyssa Ayres were elected to the academy's 2026 class. Mucarsel-Powell has led the Graduate School of Political Management as executive director since September 2025. Ayres has served as dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs since 2021.

Two Routes, One Recognition

Mucarsel-Powell came through electoral and policy advising. Her Capitol Hill employment included representing Florida's 26th Congressional District from 2019 to 2021 and later advising the 2022 Summit of the Americas. Ayres came through diplomacy and scholarship. She served as U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for South Asia and as a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Neither path is the traditional local government leadership route, which reinforces that NAPA now values cross-sector leadership.

Why This Matters for Students

The academy's board approved the class on September 25, and the 64 new fellows join a network of more than 1,000 current fellows. The National Conference is scheduled for November 8-10. For MPA and MPP students, the pair's selection signals that NAPA recognition can reward a career in public policy that moves between electoral politics, foreign policy, and university leadership. The University of Georgia also placed two fellows in the class, but GW's duo is especially notable for spanning a political management school and an international affairs school.

Programs With the Most NAPA Fellows: What the Public Data Shows

NAPA does not publish an official ranking of programs by fellow count, so the figures below are compiled from the academy's Fellow directory, school news releases, and program pages. Each row notes whether the count refers to faculty, alumni, or a combined figure, and induction years are included where available.

Faculty Fellows vs. Alumni Fellows: A Checklist for Reading Program Claims

When a program highlights NAPA Fellows, verify the details before weighing the signal.

• Check the affiliation

  Is the Fellow current full-time faculty, adjunct, emeritus, or only an alum? Alumni recognition is not the same as faculty strength.
• Verify the timing

  Was the Fellow elected before or after joining the school? It matters for whether the program built or borrowed the distinction.
• Match the directory

  Does the school's count match the NAPA Fellows directory? Look for named Fellows rather than a rounded claim.
• Assess relevance

  Is the Fellow active in teaching, advising, or research aligned with your interests? A name on a page is less useful than access to the person.
• Require a date

  Is the claim dated with a clear election year? Without a year, it may mix multiple classes or lag behind current faculty changes.

Related Articles

A NAPA Fellow on the faculty is a conversation starter and a networking bridge, but it is not by itself a ranking factor for an MPA or MPP program.

PublicAdministrationPolicy.org editorial team