Sue Breen ('85, '93)

Major: Political Science ('85)

Graduate degree: Master of Public Administration, JMU ('93)

Current job:
Chief Deputy Commissioner of the the Revenue, Loudoun County

Previous professional experience: 
Financial Management at the state and local level, Grants Administration for Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Management, Army Reserve

In what ways did the JMU Political Science Department prepare you for your career?
The education I received through the Political Science Department gave me a solid foundation to approach the challenges faced in a cereer in public service.  The fundamentals of public budgeting and public management assisted me in my career and in my volunteer work with non-profits. 

Highlights of your JMU experience
Some of the most memorable highlights from JMU is the professors and the time they took to get to know the students. Their dedication to helping students was invaluable in the learning process. I was also fortunate to be part of the ROTC when I was in college.  The fundamentals I learned in Political Science were very helpful in my responsibilities as an Army Reservist. 

Advice to students who are studying Political Science, International Affairs, or Public Administration at JMU
If there are internships available to you, take advantage of it. We have interns in our office and I see a lot of growth in our interns as they gain real world experience.