“Any questions?”
Professor Leonard Wantchekon, professor of politics and faculty associate in economics at Princeton University, looks around the classroom to a sea of raised hands at the Wilson School’s Public Policy & International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute (JSI).
He has just given a presentation on his book, “Rêver À Contre-Courant” (Dreaming Against the Current), about his journey from being a political activist in Benin to a professor at Princeton and founder of the African School of Economics.
To the college students in his audience, Wantchekon’s speech illuminated new doors for future careers. What resonated deepest with his audience was how he was able to blaze his own path as a policymaker.
Wantchekon had been imprisoned in 1985-86 after speaking out against the Benin government. The experience helped him realize his goal of researching political and economic development, particularly in Africa. Using his background in economics, Wantchekon began to examine democratization, clientelism and the long-term social impact of historical events.
“Don’t ever give up on your niche,” Wantchekon said. “I was able to combine political activism with academic professionalism.”
After Wantchekon’s presentation, the JSI students have a myriad of questions: “How did your experience in prison inspire you to dream bigger?” “What made you realize that you wanted to pursue a life of public service?” “What were the greatest challenges you faced when starting the African School of Economics?”
When told of the robust discussion in the class, Gilbert Collins, director of graduate student life at the Wilson School, is not surprised.
“We’re consistently able to recruit students who are committed to serving others and are really representative of the kind of people that are getting engaged in public policy,” Collins said.
This year, which marks the 35th anniversary of the PPIA program, is no different.
Since 1985, the Wilson School has hosted the JSI program, a seven-week intensive summer institute for rising college seniors. The program is geared toward preparing students for careers in public policy and international affairs. The curriculum focuses on writing skills, critical thinking, public speaking and quantitative reasoning. The Wilson School is one of only four schools hosting JSI programs, along with Carnegie Mellon University; the University of California, Berkeley; and the University of Michigan.
This year, Princeton’s JSI program consists of 32 students, representing 28 colleges and universities in the United States and 24 majors. The group is very diverse, with students hailing from 15 states in the U.S. as well as Haiti and Ecuador. Each student brings a different perspective and public policy background.
Katrina Spiezio of Washington and Lee University reflects on the diversity of the JSI student body.
“It has been amazing to be part of this cohort because everyone has different aspirations and goals and everyone has had such different experiences,” Spiezio said.
A highlight of the program is the policy workshop, where students examine a “real life” policy issue. Each workshop culminates in a group report and presentation in which students present policy analyses to a panel of experts and practitioners, who then critique their work.
Based on their career interests, the students enroll in either the international or domestic policy workshop.
The international workshop, “U.S.-E.U. Cooperation on Global Security Challenges,” was led by Ambassador (ret.) James I. Gadsden. Ambassador Gadsden worked at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs and was deputy assistant secretary of state for European affairs before becoming U.S. Ambassador to Iceland in 2002. His course studied the character and forces behind threats to international security. The class also examined possible steps the United States and European Union could take to address such threats.
The domestic workshop, “Race, Health Disparities and the Decision to Expand Medicaid,” was led by Daniel Meuse, deputy director of the State Health Reform Assistance Network, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation housed at the Wilson School’s Center for Health and Wellbeing. Meuse was deputy chief of staff for Rhode Island’s lieutenant governor and was involved with implementing the Affordable Care Act in that state. His workshop examined the connection between race, health disparities and the choices of states to expand Medicaid.
JSI class sizes are small and support a collaborative and team-driven environment. The intimate international and domestic workshops contained 17 and 15 students, respectively. In addition to the policy workshops, classes are offered in statistics, microeconomics, policy analysis and writing. Guest speakers, like Wantchekon, offer students real-life perspectives.
Such a robust learning environment is what drew Erick Alonzo of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, a senior college of The City University of New York, to apply to the program.
“There’s a lot of emphasis on teamwork here. You’re always working with somebody. It’s a rewarding experience because everyone is invested in doing good for society and succeeding,” Alonzo said. “The learning is collective, and I think this setting and these conditions make for a better understanding of the topics.”
Renee Peterkin of Spelman College added that the program has exceeded her expectations. She’s enjoyed being surrounded by other critical thinkers who are equally passionate about public service and instructors who have sparked new interests in possible public policy careers.
“Seeing the different avenues public policy can take me in has been rewarding. I’m excited to explore my passions and see where I’ll end up,” said Peterkin.
Outside of their daily classes, JSI offers students a chance to experience how public policy operates in real-world settings. Students from both policy workshops travelled to Washington on July 14 and 15. Those in the domestic policy workshop met with officials from Congress, the Obama administration and nongovernmental organizations to discuss health disparities, Medicaid Expansion and the Affordable Care Act. Those in the international policy workshop met with key State Department officials and discussed how the officials manage the complex U.S.-E.U. political and economic relations. All of the students attended a reception celebrating the 35th Anniversary of PPIA, where speakers included former NAACP President Benjamin Jealous (who will begin teaching at the Wilson School this coming fall) and the Wilson School’s dean, Cecilia Rouse.
Spiezio notes how these events and other excursions — baseball games, kayaking, a Broadway show in New York City and trips to Washington and Philadelphia — have been the catalyst to forming the close-knit JSI family.
“All the memories we have together are what help build friendships and make them strong. I envision us getting together and picking up where the conversation left off,” Spiezio said.
Director Collins, who attended the JSI program 21 years ago, is still close with his fellow JSI students. He emphasizes how the bonds students build last far beyond their time at JSI.
His only complaint?
“Not having enough time to squeeze in everything we would like to do,” Collins said. “It’s a good problem to have.”