‘Purdue Pursuits’: MaPSAC grants

Song Kang, captain of special services in the Purdue University Police Department. (Photo provided)
Editor’s note: A variety of programs, workshops, fellowships and trainings are offered to Purdue faculty and staff each semester. Purdue Today’s “Purdue Pursuits” series shares employees’ stories of growth and development as they use the opportunities to take small steps in reaching their personal and professional goals. Suggestions for the “Purdue Pursuits” series may be emailed to purduetoday@purdue.edu.
If 23 years in law enforcement has taught Song Kang anything, it’s that there’s always more to learn. And as someone who’s risen through the ranks of the Purdue University Police Department (PUPD), from patrol officer to his current role as captain of special services, Kang knows how pivotal professional development opportunities can be while climbing the career ladder.
“They’re critical,” Kang says. “Throughout my career, different programs and opportunities have given me new insights and have enhanced not only my career but also my performance as an employee, a manager and a leader.”
Kang’s outlook on personal and professional growth has motivated him to take on a variety of university roles over the years, like Campus Support Staff Advisory Committee member in 2016-17 and University Residences faculty fellow — now senior faculty fellow — for 10 years and counting. But it was the professional development grants offered by the Management and Professional Staff Advisory Committee (MaPSAC) that first introduced Kang to funding for opportunities directly related to his position at Purdue.
Each spring and fall semester, MaPSAC awards grants of up to $750 to management and professional staff interested in development activities like professional education or certification; lectures, conferences and seminars; and academic courses. Since the program’s creation in 2002, MaPSAC has awarded nearly $500,000 to more than 800 Purdue employees.
Kang submitted his first MaPSAC grant application following a promotion in 2018, earning enough funding to cover the tuition cost of a weeklong internal affairs course offered by the University of Louisville’s Southern Police Institute, an advanced education and training institute designed to enhance the professional development of law enforcement practitioners.
He walked away from the experience with new knowledge critical to conducting internal investigations, allowing him to grow within his role and better serve the department’s needs.
“There are internal opportunities, and there are external opportunities,” Kang says. “And I love the fact that MaPSAC doesn’t distinguish them — they’ll offer funding for any experience you need to grow professionally and help the organization. Because these grants aren’t just for my own development, they’re for the organization’s as well.”
Management and professional staff are eligible to receive a professional development grant from MaPSAC once every three years, and in spring 2024, Kang took the leap and applied again. He used his second grant to support his journey back to the Southern Police Institute, this time for the school’s 12-week, graduate-level Administrative Officers Course designed to develop effective law enforcement managers capable of assuming leadership positions.
More than 40 commanders from 35 law enforcement agencies participated in the program, living in the university’s residence halls, attending lectures and creating meaningful connections that would extend far beyond their 480 hours of coursework.
Now, months after graduating from the program as vice president of his class, Kang still regularly collaborates with his network of peers, sharing details about their roles and benchmarking their progress as they advance in their careers.
“They have given me a new perspective on seeking opportunities to mentor others — whether it’s my peers, students or any other campus community members — because now it’s my time to give back,” Kang says.
Kang’s MaPSAC grant story is just one of many, and — he hopes — many more to come. As he continues to fine-tune his skill set and prepare himself for the next levels of his career, he’s also become an advocate, encouraging others in his department and across the university to seize the opportunity and apply.
“It sends a message to others — whether it’s my direct reports or my colleagues — that if you look for the opportunities out there and then justify, explain and present them, those opportunities can open the door for you and take you to the next level,” Kang says. “But it has to be a two-way street. Whatever you learn or gain, you need to share that with others so they can better themselves, too.”
How you can apply
Applications for MaPSAC’s spring grants will be considered for proposed activities occurring between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31. The maximum award is $750, and applications must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. March 1.
MaPSAC has a grants webpage with additional information and a link to the online application. Questions may be directed to MaPSAC’s Professional Development subcommittee at mapsac-pd@purdue.edu.