Meet Brandon Frye

I think public policy is really important to understand. A lot of good comes from public policy when it’s implemented well, but an equal amount of bad can come when it’s implemented poorly. That led me to study policy — to find ways we can implement it better. I think of it more as a field of inquiry. I find myself passionate about teaching others and helping others know how to understand it: What policy is implemented, how policy affects us. I’m really interested in teaching. It doesn’t have to necessarily be in the classroom; it could be talking to practitioners and having more of a public impact.

The Glenn College has helped advance my passions in several key ways. It allows me to solidify my passion to help others by learning how to communicate with individuals, analyze and advocate for policies, and incorporate perspectives that are not necessarily my own into my understanding of the policy world. It also advanced my passion for learning by challenging me to think about the intersection of policy concepts and the current events of the world. The Glenn College also inspired another passion that I was unaware I had:advancing housing policy. I always had an interest in social policy, but it was not until I had projects related to housing vacancy and affordability that I realized housing policy was my direction. 

I chose the Glenn College for my PhD because I learned about the strong commitment faculty and staff had to students during my undergraduate career here and knew I would receive the support I needed to become a flourishing scholar in the program. Besides this sense of community, the wide range of research areas among faculty members drew me to the college as it allowed me to fluidly explore my own scholarly interests. I am currently able to study how developments built using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit led to income mobility for residents while also conceptualizing how public organizations will need to evolve in the wake of artificial intelligence.

The Glenn College program combined the more traditional concepts of public administration with the more interdisciplinary nature of public policy. The college has experts in all sorts of methodological approaches and disciplinary backgrounds, which gave me confidence that I would be able to explore my interests no matter how they evolved. 

The short answer here is my formal advisor, Professor and incoming Acting Dean Stephanie Moulton. She and I began working together my senior year of undergraduate studies when I wanted to complete a senior thesis. Despite having minimal time on her hands, she offered to advise me. We built a great relationship from there, and she has supported my efforts in applying to PhD programs, exploring my own research interests and finding my identity as a young scholar. She provides ample amounts of feedback no matter how small the task is to ensure I grow from the experience. She never pushes me in a certain direction and allows me to guide the conversation about what my research is. She is a wealth of knowledge on all things housing policy, which has strengthened my ability to explore housing policy in my own way. 

I serve as president of the Doctoral Student Organization, which is the main organizing body for Glenn College doctoral students. Through this role, I have been able to sit on the Doctoral Studies Committee and actually have a voice in the student experience in the doctoral program. I have learned a lot about the decision-making process for student curriculum and expectations. Additionally, I have been included in faculty searches as a doctoral student. I get to meet with potential faculty members and provide feedback to search committees on how they would do as a mentor to doctoral students. It’s been a really fulfilling component of my time here, and it makes doctoral students feel like a part of the Glenn College team. 

One of my earliest memories of the Glenn College community was during my senior year of undergraduate studies. I had forgotten to fill out my forms for the honors program, and I was worried that I wouldn’t get my honors after all my hard work. When I informed my advisor at the time, Whitney Brown, she sent me back an email that had the forms filled out and signed by the proper people. I was in awe. Most of my friends in other departments constantly complained about not even being able to get an appointment with their advisor. Meanwhile, Whitney went above and beyond to ensure I got my honors. This experience truly solidified the Glenn College as a community in my mind. 

Another is simply the everyday culture at Glenn. I constantly stop in the halls to talk to professors, staff and other students. There always seems to be a conversation happening in the common areas. Most faculty members keep their doors open and are willing to have a chat if you simply need someone to talk to. I’ve never felt intimidated to approach a faculty member or staff member about a concern, because the Glenn College does truly inspire a welcoming environment. 

The Glenn College undergraduate program prepared me for the challenges of a doctoral program. I learned the necessary policy background to understand the basics of policy theory that allows me to dive deeper into the philosophy and context of those basic concepts. The Glenn College also helped prepare me to communicate with others on policy issues and technical concerns.

Brandon Frye is a PhD candidate at the Glenn College, where he earned his BS in Public Policy Analysis and Economics. Read about the ways his research and classroom instruction offers insight for peers and public service professionals.

Published on: April 10, 2026