Mary D. Bruce earned the doctorate in Political Science from Wayne State University. Her dissertation, The Role of Journalists in Framing Newspaper Articles and Editorials on School Vouchers in Detroit, examined how journalists presented information regarding a public policy issue during a national election year. Dr. Bruce holds a Masters in Public Administration from Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan. After 20 years in state and local governmental and legislative relations, Dr. Bruce joined the Wayne State University faculty in September 2003, and the Governors State University faculty in August 2004. She has presented research papers at international, national and regional conferences, including: the National Academy of Public Administration, Global Business Development Institute, and the American Society for Public Administration. In June 2005, she presented a paper at the Fifth International Conference on Public management, Policy and Development: Best Practices in Public Policy and Development for the 21st Century in Dakar, Senegal. The paper was entitled, The Role of Journalists in Framing News Stories about the Use and Availability of Anti-retroviral Drugs for HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. She co-authored two articles, one is entitled: Workplace Violence: Awareness, Prevention and Response which is published in the International Public Management Association for Human Resources. The second is entitled, Roadside Markets and Poverty Alleviation: A Case of Roadside Markets in Uganda. In the summer of 2013 Dr. Bruce presented a paper on Framing and Agenda Setting in Windhoek, Namibia, Africa.

Dr. Bruce is an experienced professor. She has taught for Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. She has state governmental and public policy experience which includes: working as a legislative analyst for Governor James J. Blanchard, State of Michigan as a research data specialist for the Michigan Department of Management and Budget. She also worked as researcher and writer for the Michigan Department of Labor and the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board. She has procured more than $160,000 in research grants to study community-based programs and evaluation of substance abuse prevention programs. Dr. Bruce served on the Board for Access to Care and as Chair of the Marketing Sub-committee for Strategic Planning. Dr. Bruce is the sub-committee chair for strategic planning for the Consortium of International Management Policy and Development (CIMPAD). She has facilitated strategic planning trainings for municipalities and non-profit organizations. Dr. Bruce is an international scholar. She served as a visiting professor in Uganda. She also visited China along with several graduate students from the College of Business and Public Administration at Governors State in the summer of 2012. Dr. Bruce’s research focuses on public policy issues, strategic/community planning, human resource management, and media/politics. Dr. Bruce has served as the Chair of the Faculty Development Advisory Council at GSU. She brings a wealth of practical work and international experience in the public sector which enhances her ability to teach students from diverse backgrounds in an academic environment who are interested and/or curious about the field of public administration.