Paula Mazzacano

Humphrey School of Public Affairs, October 20, 2011

Paula Mazzacano received a master of arts degree in public affairs in 1982 from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. She concentrated on science, technology, and environmental policy, and public and nonprofit leadership and management. She has worked in the City of Minneapolis in the area of development finance and most recently she took a break from city employment to work for a nonprofit developer/owner of affordable and supportive housing. Over the past 20 years, she has served as an alumni board member and officer, as a mentor to numerous Humphrey students, and as an advocate for financial support for students who show both talent and need. She was instrumental in the creation of the Humphrey Alumni Scholarship, a fund that has generated $650,000 and awarded 151 scholarships. She served three two-year terms including one as president on the board of the Humphrey School's Alumni Society. She has served on many Alumni Board committees and currently chairs the development committee. She is credited with designing a system for evaluating the applications of Humphrey students seeking the Humphrey Alumni Scholarship. She has been a part of the Humphrey Mentor Program for 11 years, providing career support and personal guidance to students. In addition, she has been an active member of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association and has been an advocate for the University of Minnesota at the state legislature.