Frayda Bluestein Honored with Prestigious Edward Kidder Graham Award

About

As the largest
university-based local
government training,
advisory, and research
organization in the United
States, the School of
Government serves more
than 12,000 public officials
each year.

Browse by Role

The School provides
content and resources for a
wide array of local
government and judicial
officials in North Carolina.

Select your role to explore
all related content.

Browse by Topic

The School provides content
and resources on a wide array
of topics in local government
and judicial administration in
North Carolina.

Select a topic to explore all
related content.

Courses

The School of Government
offers up to 200 courses,
workshops, webinars, and
professional conferences
each year.

Publications

The School of Government
publishes essential books,
manuals, reports, articles,
bulletins, and other print and
online content related to state
and local government.

Blogs

Faculty write for a number
of School of Government
blogs providing timely
updates on emerging issues.

Resources

The School of Government
offers information and
services related to a wide
range of topics relevant to
government and judicial
officials—in-person and on a
variety of platforms.

Blog Posts

Timely updates on emerging issues

Centers and Services

Specialized training/research hubs and consulting services

Frequently Asked Questions

Aggregated answers to common questions on a variety of topics

Knapp Library

Print and online materials and research expertise

Legal Summaries

Brief descriptions of legal cases, bills, or legislative activity

Listservs

Information exchanges for peers and faculty experts

Microsites

In-depth or aggregated content for local government and judicial officials

Tools and Apps

Online and mobile tools for employees on-the-go

Master of Public
Administration Program

The UNC MPA program prepares public service leaders. The program is offered in two formats: on-campus and online.

For more information, visit mpa.unc.edu

Giving

The School of Government depends on private and public support for fulfilling its mission. Your gift will make a lasting impact on the quality of government and civic participation in North Carolina.

Knapp Library

The Joseph Palmer Knapp Library houses a large collection of material on state and local government, public administration, and management to support the School's instructional and research programs and the educational mission of the Master of Public Administration program. Reference and research services are available to all residents of North Carolina, and additional assistance is available to state and local government personnel, both elected and appointed.

Frayda Bluestein stands in front of the School of Government in a blue jacket and black top.

In her 30-year-career, UNC School of Government faculty member Frayda Bluestein has become one of North Carolina’s most trusted and valued experts on governmental structure and powers, conflicts of interest, and transparency laws. Her work has stretched to every corner of the state and equipped local government officials with the tools they need to maintain trust and credibility with the communities they serve.

In recognition of this extraordinary service to North Carolina, UNC-Chapel Hill has announced it will honor Bluestein with the Edward Kidder Graham Faculty Service Award. Bluestein, the David M. Lawrence Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government, will receive the award at a University Day ceremony on October 12, 2022.

Established in 2010, the award recognizes outstanding service by a member of the Voting Faculty and calls to remembrance Graham’s ambition “to make the campus co-extensive with the boundaries of the state.”

Bluestein’s work is the embodiment of Graham’s vision. During her career, she was a fixture in flagship courses that educated thousands of public officials, including Municipal and County Administration, Essentials of Municipal Government, the Municipal Attorneys Winter Conference and Fundamentals Workshop, and Ethics for Elected Officials. Her expertise is regularly sought by state and national media outlets in matters related to transparency, public records, open meeting laws, and First Amendment issues affecting public bodies. Bluestein has written extensively on local government authority and her published scholarship is considered a source of record by officials across the state.

Bluestein also made profound contributions to the School itself. She served more than a decade as the School’s associate dean for faculty development and was a mentor and friend to many. Upon announcement of her retirement, a colleague described her as “the heart and soul of the School.”

She is the second School of Government faculty member to receive the award. Bluestein joins David Owens, the inaugural recipient of the award and a renowned expert in land use law, in this honor.

In 2021, she reflected on what brought her to the School of Government—and what made her stay.

“What drew me to this work is that it’s interesting, it affects people in so many ways, and it’s so practical,” Bluestein said. “Academia isn’t always practical. At the School, we get to work with people who are in government, but we also help people understand how government works and help people in government make it work well for its community members. I believe in that.”

Bluestein’s phased retirement has brought an outpouring of thanks and recognition from the officials and community members she has worked alongside during her career. Last year she was honored at the North Carolina Association of Municipal Attorneys conference. She was given lifetime membership in the Association, and an award was established in her name.

The School also launched the Frayda S. Bluestein Scholarship Fund for Municipal and County Administration. This endowed scholarship provides funding to public officials wishing to attend the course and gives first preference to those whose participation is, in part, dependent upon financial support.