Stephanie King, School of Public Administration doctoral candidate
School of Public Administration doctoral candidate Stephanie King was selected for the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) Founders’ Fellows Class of 2026 — one of the discipline’s most competitive and prestigious early‑career recognitions.
ASPA’s Founders’ Fellows program supports rising public service leaders through a yearlong professional development experience. Each fellow is paired with a senior mentor and given opportunities to present research, expand their professional networks, and engage with national conversations shaping the future of public administration.
For King, the fellowship represents both an academic milestone and a deeply personal achievement.
Between her work as full‑time law enforcement sergeant for the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, being a mother of three, and recently entering candidacy, her path through the public affairs doctoral program has been one defined by determination and resilience.
“I found out I was pregnant (with my second child) right before I got my acceptance letter to the doctoral program,” she said. “For a second, I thought of not going back to school but I’m a first‑generation college student, and this was really a big deal. I wasn’t going to let anything stop me.”
Today, she’s not only continued pursing her degree throughout two pregnancies and postpartum recoveries, but she’s also done so with a demanding work schedule — never once pausing her studies or goals.
“I never took a semester break,” King says. “If you pause, then you’re going to lose the momentum, and I just haven’t paused. You don’t have to choose one path. You can be a mom, a student and have a career at the same time. It builds resilience, and you can still achieve your goals.”
That sentiment is also reflected through King’s research, which examines organizational barriers and factors affecting the advancement of women in law enforcement and other male-dominated institutions. As part of the fellowship, King will present her research at ASPA’s 2026 Annual Conference in Hollywood, California, where she will join fellows from across the United States and abroad. She’s most looking forward to the opportunity to work with a mentor from the program to discover how she can deepen her impact.
Her dual identity as both practitioner and scholar has also informed her work and research interests. Her current research draws on national law enforcement data and a mixed-methods approach to better understand patterns of leadership and influence on factors like public trust. She also recently earned a graduate certificate in emergency management, expanding her expertise in another critical area of public service.
“As a practitioner, I lead in the field, and as a scholar, I study systems that shape that field,” she says. “Bridging both perspectives is a unique experience, and I want to apply everything I learn to both my research and my work.”
King credits much of her academic growth to the mentorship of Claire Knox, professor and director of UCF’s emergency management program. Knox, being a 2014 ASPA Founders’ Fellow and former mentor herself, encouraged King to apply and wrote her letter of recommendation.
“Dr. Knox is my committee chair, but also a very big supporter and mentor for me,” King says. “She pushes me and helps identify opportunities that can help me grow. When someone believes in you, it makes a difference. She believes in me, and that means a lot.”
As she steps into her fellowship and continues to forge her path as an early-career scholar, King is committed to using her research and experience to influence policy, strengthen public institutions, and drive systemic change.
“I’m so humbled and grateful to even have been chosen,” she says. “My goal is to learn as much as I can and apply it to make a difference in the public sector. Knowledge is powerful, and it’s how you create lasting change.”