Students from Across the Country Explore Public Service at Summer Policy Academy
From June 14 to July 3, 65 rising college seniors participated in the NextGen Service Summer Policy Academy (SPA), an immersive program designed to introduce students to careers in public service.
Programming began in Washington, DC—a first visit to the capital for many students. Students then spent two weeks at one of three host schools: the University of California, Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy, the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, or the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. There, classroom learning, faculty and practitioner discussions, and hands-on activities sharpened the skills public service careers demand.
“My favorite part was learning how to analyze potential policies,” said Chantel Chestnutt of North Carolina Central University. “These sessions challenged me to think more deeply about how problems are defined, how solutions are analyzed, and how implementation shapes impact.”
Students left the program with expanded professional networks, greater confidence in their career paths, and a clearer sense of the many ways they can make a difference through public service. Read more about the NextGen Service National Student Network here.
