Hello to current juniors (Class of 2017)! We are posting to encourage those of you who are interested in public policy/public service/politics/law to consider the St. Albans School of Public Service (“SPS”) residential summer program in Washington, D.C. The program runs from June 19 - July 16, 2016 (there is just one four-week session).
Our program is often of interest to those who take part in Model UN, debate, and mock trial, as the core classroom mode of instruction is the case study method used in graduate studies in law, business, and public policy. SPS is small compared to many other D.C.-based summer programs: each summer’s class ranges from 40 - 45 students. In recent years, our students have met with public servants including: a current U.S. Supreme Court Justice; a Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times investigative reporter; the speechwriter to the Vice President of the USA; the German Ambassador; and the former Acting Director of the CIA. The small size of SPS means you’re not just an audience for a speaker – it’s a real Q&A session. Some of the policy issues we’ve studied in recent years include the debate over climate change; the U.S. use of drone warfare; and the ethics of undercover investigative reporting on cases in the public interest.
We do offer need-based financial aid and each year over 40% of our students receive meaningful amounts of financial aid (including full scholarships). Admissions is on a ROLLING basis, with most applications being submitted by early March (occasionally a space will open up after that).
If you think you might be interested, our website is www.schoolofpublicservice.org, and we are on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/StAlbansSchoolOfPublicService/). You might check out our online photo blog from last summer: www.schoolofpublicservice.blogspot.com. Our contact information is on our website and we are happy to provide more information if you contact us by email or phone.
St. Albans School of Public Service (SPS) was hands down one of the best summer programs I have ever attended and the most unique experience any aspiring politician can attain. Although an American, I have lived in Dubai for most of my life and spending three weeks with teenagers from American high schools was slightly unnerving for me. However, the SPS leadership team instantly make you feel as a part of family that you will never forget and are there every step of the way of the learning process. What especially struck me as special was how much the SPS program values practical education. Every other day, pioneers of public service careers ranging from intelligence agencies, to “The Hill” to the US Military were giving us priceless advice on how to succeed in a public service career. Not only did extremely experienced individuals come to St. Albans, but we also set out on a series of “Ted Talks” whereby we engaged in debate with individuals from political think tanks, which seriously made me question my political beliefs and how much I truly know about the political system. Finally, the SPS program was a great help to the college application process, as I learnt how to write concisely but still engage and persuade my writer. Overall, SPS is a wonderful experience and has so much more to offer then just learning about policy. It is a one in a lifetime experience shared by people who are motivated, inspired and driven to succeed!
I can safely say that my four weeks at the St. Albans School of Public Service were amongst the best of my life. The academic experiences exposed me to whole new fields that I never would have learned about on my own, and the faculty of the program are well-versed in a wide range of public policy areas. Most importantly, however, I learned a great deal about myself through this program. Before SPS, I never would have thought that some of my best friends from the program would be the people I agreed with the least. SPS truly is a family, and I made friends from all over the the country (and the world!) whom I still talk to every week. The program is big enough for each person to find their niche, but small enough to provide a strong sense of community. I was amazed at how much I grew as a person from my first day at SPS to the final banquet. Some of this growth came through once-in-a-lifetime hands-on learning experiences at influential Washington bases of public service, but most of this growth came from lengthy discussions with my incredible classmates. Going into the program, I wasn’t even sure that politics and policy issues were really my “thing,” but even if I hadn’t fallen in love with the academics of the program I would have thoroughly enjoyed it for the people I met. School of Public Service is a wonderful educational and bonding experience, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.