David Dada’s interest in the University of Alabama at Birmingham was catalyzed by an unlikely event—the renovation of Bartow Arena.

Dada and Sam Gaston at the 2024 MPA Awards Luncheon.During the renovation, the UAB Basketball team had to move their practices to Ramsay High School, located a few blocks from campus. Dada was a Ramsay student and basketball player at the time, and seeing the team in his gymnasium made a lasting impression on him.

“We got to see and watch the practice—it was awesome. Mike Anderson [the coach at the time] was a really cool guy,” said Dada, Director of Government Relations and Open Records Officer for UAB. “I remember when UAB played Memphis … the game was sold out. Mike allowed [the Ramsay team] to get seats in the old Hill Center, they had the game on the big screen. When [UAB] won, it was insane.”

In addition to interacting with the basketball team and visiting campus to watch the Memphis game, Dada also gained exposure to UAB through his older brother who studied engineering at the University.

Ultimately, a Green and Gold Scholarship motivated Dada to enroll at UAB, though. Through the financial support he gained from the scholarship, he was able to leave home and immerse himself in campus life. And, for the most part, it was that immersion—and the social experiences that emerged from it—that excited Dada during his early days at UAB.

 “I was really trying to explore,” said Dada. “I learned a lot through social involvement … [through] the leadership and service council and my fraternity, I was able to develop leadership skills.”

Passion for Public Service

Dada and Sam Gaston at the 2024 MPA Awards Luncheon.Dada started studying engineering—his brother served as an inspiration—but, eventually, he switched to a major in psychology after taking a couple introductory courses. Not long after changing his major, Dada also started to explore opportunities off campus, including volunteering to help with a holiday toy drive sponsored by the City of Birmingham’s mayor’s office. It was through this experience—and subsequent volunteer opportunities—that Dada started to develop a clearer vision for his future, both inside and outside of the classroom.

“My experience with the city helped me to realize how much I love public service,” said Dada.

After a couple years, Dada’s volunteerism materialized into a more official role with the city. A week before Dada was set to graduate—and start a job with Wells Fargo—he was offered a full-time internship with the Department of Youth Services. Given his commitment to public service and love for the city, Dada reimagined his original post-graduation plan and accepted the internship.

“I interned there for a year-and-a-half, and I loved it. I absolutely loved it,” said a smiling Dada.

Back to UAB

Although his internship with the city was fulfilling, there was another professional opportunity that continued calling out to him—it was a role he learned about while serving as a work-study student in the College of Arts and Sciences academic advising office during his senior year. One of the advisors, Kassie Doggett, recognized Dada’s interest in community and public service, so she alerted him to the job.

“Kassie told me about a coordinator of civic engagement job that was opening [at UAB]. So, I applied for it, [but] I did not get it,” said Dada. “[After the internship with the city] I came back as a transfer counselor at UAB because I knew I wanted to get my master’s eventually. After serving in the transfer counselor job for a year-and-a-half and learning a lot about myself and UAB, the coordinator job came back open, and I was able to get it,” said Dada.

In his role as civic engagement coordinator, Dada served as the advisor for the Leadership and Service Council, coordinated alternative spring breaks, and actively worked to deepen UAB students’ connections to the community. Along the way, he uncovered a passion for mentoring students and strengthened his commitment to public service. These priorities, along with the UAB educational assistance program, eventually brought Dada to UAB’s Master of Public Administration program in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. The program proved to be an academic eye-opener.

“It was like night and day from undergrad,” said Dada. “The [MPA] classes connected to what I was doing at work, and it aligned with all of the things I was interested in—it was really great.”

“David always sought to make connections between what we learned in class and the work he was doing at UAB and throughout the community,” said Peter Jones, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. “He’s one of those special students who you learn from, too. A Birmingham native, history buff, and avid reader, he was great for resources to learn about Birmingham, especially for a new professor who had just moved to the city.”

While in the program, Dada continued to focus on public service, while also strengthening his writing skills (which he says he leverages on a daily basis in his current role). From working with the community to learning how to craft a concise memo to a senior leader, Dada embraced his learning journey and made a lasting impact on the program.

“David Dada was an exemplary student throughout the graduate program,” said Nevbahar Ertas, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. “His dedication to mentoring and his vision for universities to actively foster stronger connections with local leaders and communities has been both inspiring and transformative.”

He eventually developed a portfolio in preparation for graduation and used the project as an opportunity to display the skills he developed in the program. In addition, he outlined his future career goals with prescient accuracy.

“I remember putting that I wanted to eventually be a director of government relations/external affairs at a public research university,” said Dada.

Little did he know, he was only a few years away from achieving that goal.

Reconnecting with the City

Dada and his son enjoying time together.Dada earned his MPA in 2017 and found his way back to the city. At the time, Mayor Randall Woodfin was taking office, and Dada felt a desire to serve in the new administration. With that in mind, he reconnected with the Department of Youth Services (DYS)—only this time, he had a new slate of skills and ideas to bring to the table.

According to Galvin Billups, executive director of DYS, Dada brought a strong commitment to mentoring to his role as deputy director.

“I was particularly impressed by his willingness to mentor others, including UAB undergraduates and graduate MPA members, while leading at DYS, fostering an understanding that community-level impact begins with sincere dedication to listening, learning, and involving yourself in the life of community,” said Billups.

Over four years, Dada deployed his talents at DYS with a clear focus on pursuing the department’s mission and helping the team navigate through an unprecedented crisis: COVID-19.

“[His] experience leading the DYS was exemplary,” said Billups. “His ability to help operationalize our mission and core initiatives, and to navigate the staff through the pandemic while providing service to partners and citizens alike, embodied the essence of public service.”

Throughout his tenure with DYS, Dada also further deepened his relationships with leaders across the city of Birmingham. That relationship-building—along with a thorough understanding of the city and its citizens—positioned Dada to return to UAB to pursue a new role that would combine his love for the city and the University.

Leading at UAB

In 2021, Dada became UAB’s Director of Government Relations, the same job title he outlined in his MPA portfolio four years prior. For Dada, it was a full circle moment that felt right.

“It feels like I’m where I’m supposed to be. The only two places I’ve ever worked in my adult life are UAB and the City of Birmingham. So, now, through my job, I’m a liaison between UAB, the city of Birmingham, and the county,” said Dada. “It’s like a natural progression.”

In addition to his work for the University, Dada has also found ways to further elevate mentoring within his beloved MPA program. As a member of the MPA Alumni Network Board, Dada and his fellow board members connect current graduate students with alumni through the MPA Mentor Program—which he chairs. The program aims to help students refine their visions for the future, with an emphasis on network building and professional development.

“I enjoy doing the mentorship program because I enjoy helping people on that path,” said Dada. “Students are matched with a mentor for a semester … and the students share what it is they’re looking for, specifically career interests and experiences they hope to gain. Then we use that to match them with a mentor who is an MPA alum.”

“Through this role, he continues to make a lasting impact on the professional development of MPA students,” said Ertas.

Dada’s work with the program recently garnered him a major accolade from the MPA Alumni Board. During the 2024 MPA Alumni Awards Luncheon, he received the 2023-2024 Gaston Excellence in Mentoring Award which recognizes “a distinguished practitioner in public administration or nonprofit organizations who has demonstrated major contributions in mentoring Master of Public Administration Program students at UAB.”

“I was surprised. I didn’t think I was going to win—it was [just] an honor to be nominated,” said Dada. “I don’t get nervous, but I got butterflies going up to the podium. The MPA program was a major turning point for me.”

As much as Dada enjoys mentoring the next generation of public servants and bridging the University and the city, he notes that some of his most joyful moments emerge when he gets the chance to simply engage with the campus that has given so much back to him.

“I take my son to the rec center, and we go to the pool on Fridays. It’s a phenomenal place for me,” said Dada.

It’s been a dynamic journey for Dada so far, and it seems that so much is still to come, including his new responsibilities as Open Records Officer. Given his ability to embrace opportunities when they arise, it’s fitting that he offers the following advice to current students who are preparing to graduate this year: “Stay ready.”

The College of Arts and Sciences community is ready—and eager—to watch what Dada will do next.