We would like to welcome the 29th cohort of students to our Public Policy and International Affairs Junior Summer Institute (PPIA JSI), the largest diversity program in the United States that promotes the inclusion and full participation of underrepresented groups in public service and advances their leadership roles throughout the U.S. and abroad.
The program helps prepare undergraduate students for graduate study and careers in public policy and international affairs by providing participants with skills necessary to become public policy leaders and educators: microeconomics, statistics, writing, public speaking and organization and time management.
Coursework includes seven weeks of policy-related classroom instruction, including a policy workshop on either a domestic or international policy issue. As part of the program's culmination, students present a comprehensive final report on a current policy issue that encompasses the skills and knowledge they have gained.
Founded in 1980, PPIA JSI has played a critical role in addressing the lack of minority professionals in leadership roles in the public, nonprofit and international sectors. The analytical and leadership training provided in the program has allowed many of our alumni to pursue diverse careers, including in all levels of government, in academia and in the private sector.
The program was initially funded by the Sloan Foundation and Ford Foundation from 1980 to 1998. Since 1999, universities have continued funding this important academic program, which has increased the graduate and workforce diversity pipeline nationwide. Today, more than ever, increasing the diversity of individuals in public service is of paramount importance. PPIA JSI has made a significant impact in increasing the number of students who pursue graduate school and ultimately careers in public policy and international affairs.
The four PPIA JSI programs are hosted on the campuses of the Carnegie Mellon University, Princeton University, University of California, Berkeley and University of Michigan. Now in its 34th year, PPIA has over 4,000 alumni and is expanding its reach by establishing new partnerships with national organizations and working with over 30 of the top public and private universities in the nation.