Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) believes that 21st century public policy requires a passion for service. To help the school’s third- and fourth-year students best prepare for a variety of career opportunities after graduation, SPIA’s undergraduate programs and the Princeton SPIA DC Center will host the second annual Washington DC Center on September 27th. “Faculty Policy Day” was held.
Forty undergraduate students traveled to the nation’s capital to visit educational institutions in the district and meet with policy makers. That included the White House, where students met with officials from the Council on Domestic Policy and the National Economic Council. He met with Congressional staff from the teams of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) at the U.S. Capitol. And at the World Bank, I participated in roundtable discussions with senior officials.
“We want to bring our students to Washington, D.C., and introduce them to different paths to civil service,” said Liz Cho, program director and director of undergraduate career services. “Throughout the day, we connected with SPIA alumni at each location to share experiences and provide guidance to students about careers in the public sector.”
The day ended with a discussion about the upcoming presidential election co-facilitated by Zach Bertin, director of SPIA in Washington, DC, and Simon Markinson of the Heritage Foundation.
“Our Princeton alumni are a valuable resource, always willing to help and meet with current students,” Choe said. “Many of our students say that a career in the civil service feels more attainable and realistic after meeting alumni at work.”
Hannah Gabelnick, 26, had already completed a summer internship working in the office of Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), but Faculty Policy Day gave her a new perspective.
“My primary interest is in achieving social change through the research, creation, and implementation of policies that impact the communities in which I work,” she said.After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in health policy, human rights, or said Gabelnick, who plans to pursue a career in international affairs.
“I really appreciated the opportunity to meet with White House and World Bank staff to learn more about career paths for other civil servants in Washington, D.C.,” she said. “This trip allowed me to learn more about civil service career paths and gave me more confidence in my ability to find the career path that is right for me.”
