When it comes to solving problems with his fellow Hoosiers, Seth Hinshaw isn't afraid to roll up his sleeves.
The 32-year-old O'Neill Online Master of Public Affairs (MPA) student recently took a brief pause from his high-demand roles as senior associate commissioner and chief financial officer for the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to participate in O’Neill Online Week, an intensive program through the Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
The annual voluntary program challenges Online MPA students to travel to Bloomington for five fast-paced days to solve a real community problem.
Led by instructor Trent A. Engbers, Hinshaw and ten other Online MPA students spent a week developing a comprehensive plan to improve volunteer fire services across Washington County, Ind., where a dwindling number of volunteer firefighters has left the community grappling to meet its firefighting needs effectively.
"It was this idea of, 'Honestly, this sounds fun.'" Hinshaw said. "My clients have always either been elected officials or just, broadly, Hoosier taxpayers at large. But the idea of having this face time with clients, putting yourself out there and knowing they could just reject what you're providing to them—that challenge really intrigued me."
Hinshaw lives about 30 miles northeast of Indianapolis in Pendleton, Indiana, where he and his wife are raising their three children, with a fourth on the way. Hailing from the small rural town of Spiceland in Henry County, he said working with Washington County felt familiar.
"These are my people," he said.
O'Neill Online Week students and community partners meet to discuss the group's findings and recommendations. Photos by Kyla Cox Deckard.
A Change in Plans Pays Off
Growing up, Hinshaw always planned to attend law school. However, doubts crept in during a legal internship while earning his bachelor of science in legal studies from Ball State University. As luck would have it, the Indiana Statehouse was recruiting interns for the legislative session.
"I was fortunate enough to be selected for that internship, and I was even more fortunate to be placed in the Ways and Means Committee as an intern," he said. "It doesn't get much better than that as far as career prospects."
The unexpected pivot led to a robust career in state finance, with roles in the Indiana House of Representatives, the Indiana State Budget Agency, and the Indiana Senate.
Despite his achievements, he still felt like something was missing—a graduate degree.
"I was working in the Senate at the time, and I decided that if I'm going to enroll, I want to be intentional about it,'" he said. "I no longer felt like I needed the degree for my career at that point. But I felt like I wanted the degree if for no other reason than to prove to myself I could do it, and also to show my children that they could do it—to set that example."
Ready, Set, Go
On the first day of Online Week, the student cohort met with Washington County stakeholder groups, including local firefighters, community members and government leaders to learn more about volunteer firefighting challenges throughout the county's township-based fire departments.
From there, students spent the week researching, planning, strategizing and writing.
"We were waking up at 6 a.m., and your head probably wasn't hitting the pillow any earlier than 10:30 or 11 p.m. every night," Hinshaw said.
On the final day, the students traveled to Salem, Ind., to deliver an in-person presentation on their recommendations, including community-tailored coordination, funding and recruitment strategies.
Community stakeholders will also receive a comprehensive final report detailing the group's findings and recommendations.
The project was a collaboration between the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and Washington County in partnership with the IU Center for Rural Engagement. It was organized by the Washington County Community Foundation and a local steering committee.
I think that anything we do to support these small towns and these counties to maintain their autonomy, but also to find prosperity, is really a net benefit for the state.
Seth Hinshaw, MPA Student, O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
A Hands-on Hoosier for Life
Though Hinshaw has spent his career in the busy halls of state government, his Online Week experience rekindled the idea that he could use his expertise to support local governments with limited capacity.
"These are real people and real communities," he said. "And our country is really built on the backbone of community in general. I think that anything we do to support these small towns and these counties to maintain their autonomy, but also to find prosperity, is really a net benefit for the state."
Hinshaw has successfully juggled family, school and busy leadership roles in state government by taking one class at a time throughout most of his Online MPA program and is on track to graduate this winter.
He plans to live, work and eventually retire in Indiana, and he hopes the same for his children.
“We love, love, love Indiana,” Hinshaw said. “There's a lot of opportunity here. You just have to know where to look to find it.”