Apply to Summer Academy for Policy Leadership and Public Service by May 15
How often do we hear about a high school student expressing interest in pursuing an undergraduate public policy degree?
Seeking out schools known for nursing, business, biology, and engineering is the more common practice. Yet with today’s young people advocating for fairness, justice, and equality as they are, an increasing number of colleges and universities are offering public policy studies in their undergraduate programming.
While aspiring youth are unlikely to set their sights on a public policy degree in high school, early exposure to the field and increased awareness of the issues by which they are directly and indirectly affected may spark an enthusiasm that could translate to representative diversity among high-level decision-makers.
Working with high school students, Richmond-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit Policy Pathways offers early exploration into the applicability of policy studies and international affairs. Filling a unique educational niche, Policy Pathways brings the knowledge, applicability, and know-how of public policy to a younger generation.
The two-week Summer Academy for Policy Leadership and Public Service online (SAO) is a program that prepares participants to stand out in college and career pipelines in public policy and administration while feeding their yearning for change and purpose. The 2022 session of SAO is an immersive virtual affair for participants ages fifteen to twenty-five. A cornerstone of Policy Pathways’ curriculum is its pedagogical framework, which expands students’ critical thinking abilities before moving on to policy formation, policy analysis, advocacy and persuasion, and finally the Capstone project.
The course is delivered by an assembly of world-class guest lecturers, top professors, and leading decision-makers who focus on real-world policy issues while strengthening participants’ research, communication, leadership, and analytical skills. The rigorous curriculum covers policy formation, research methods, statistics, data analysis, advocacy, and international affairs.
The program piques students’ interest in a wide variety of policy topics, such as immigration, environmental, health, criminal and social justice, housing, and more. Participants utilize knowledge derived throughout the course in the culminating Capstone project. Each new program year provides participants with opportunities to work on exciting contemporary policy projects! SAO graduates may continue to the five-week Policy Research Internship program.
To apply, complete the online application at policypathways.org/apply-now. A statement of interest and school transcripts are required. Tuition is $1,600 (plus $70 administrative fee) and scholarships are available.
The deadline for application has been extended to May 15, 2022. For more information, please visit policypathways.org or contact us at (866) 465-6671 and info@policypathways.org.
Gretchen Kent is communications director with Policy Pathways. A new resident of Richmond, hailing from Milwaukee, she enjoys exploring the city and parks and is taking full advantage of her East Coast surroundings camping and hiking around the state. When she is not traveling, reading, or backpacking, you can find her in any number of Richmond’s green spaces or around a campfire.
