Wolfpack alum becomes a Tar Heel
Joshua Baird enjoys serving the public, using his skills from the Master of Public Administration program.
Joshua Baird has always been a proud NC State alumnus, but he took his talents to Carolina to pursue a Master of Public Administration degree from the UNC School of Government.
“I joke about that switch, but Carolina’s program is top-notch,” said Baird as he sipped from his NC State water bottle.
He earned two degrees from NC State, a 2009 bachelor’s degree in zoology and a 2014 master’s degree in biological and agricultural engineering, with a concentration in environmental engineering and a minor in water resources.
Baird learned about Carolina’s MPA program from participating in the school’s trainings and workshops with local governments. “I had completed courses that the School of Government offered, and I knew the expertise and resources that were there,” said Baird.
He knew he wanted to work in local government and dedicate himself to a specific community. He wanted to use his engineering expertise to enhance infrastructure, implement environmentally sustainable practices and ensure the town’s water and sewer utility is both efficient and fiscally responsible.
Excellence in graduate education
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Currently, Baird serves as the water resources director for the town of Clayton. He oversees the planning, organization and direction of water and sewer utility operations, ensuring efficient service delivery, regulatory compliance and environmental stewardship. His responsibilities include long-range planning, budget preparation and infrastructure management for water supply, treatment, distribution, metering, wastewater collection and water reclamation.
“Clayton is rapidly growing and with that comes challenges. We seek to find solutions and look at a problem and say, ‘What are we going to do about this? What are the alternatives? What is the best path forward here?’” said Baird.
For Baird, the MPA program allows him to gain practical knowledge and expertise he can use in his career immediately. The courses on capital finance, leadership, professional communications and public administration provide skills he can use daily in different scenarios.
After graduating from Carolina’s MPA program later this year, Baird wants to continue growing in his current job and serving the people of Clayton using skills from the program.
“This is an opportunity to bring different areas of my background together to figure out what’s best for the town and residents that we serve,” said Baird.
Maybe he’ll even add some Carolina Blue to all that NC State red.
