A new initiative by the Schar School of Policy and Government and the Partnership for Public Service will create internship opportunities that springboard diverse graduate students, including first-generation students, into the U.S. federal workforce at a critical point in their careers, and just when American government needs it most.
Internships with various federal agencies will be offered to Schar School students every semester in a cohort program that includes professional development and leadership training — a multi-year, multi-million-dollar investment in America’s future.
WHY NOW?
- 45% of federal workers are now over 50 years old
- 40% of key federal workers will be retirement-eligible in the next five years
- All at a time when the United States faces critical threats and challenges
OUR GOALS
- Replenish the federal workforce with talented young professionals
- Create new opportunities for first-generation graduates
- Endow the future of American democracy by investing in educated policy makers
WHAT IT COSTS
- $3,500 per student, per semester, for part-time internships including a stipend for workplace attire and public transportation
- A donation of $10,000 will support three internships, one per semester, and can include naming recognition
- All part of a multi-year, multi-million-dollar program that kickstarts Schar School students’ careers and endows the next generation of US leaders and decision-makers
ABOUT THE SCHAR SCHOOL
The Schar School of Policy and Government advances the public good through providing students with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to become leaders and managers in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. As graduates, they apply the knowledge and skills gained in the classroom at some of the most prestigious companies, consulting firms, nonprofits, multinational organizations, and government agencies in Washington, DC, and beyond. Decision-makers and the public use Schar School faculty’s research to both understand and develop policy in a variety of areas. The school is committed to public service within professions and in regional, national, and global communities.
Located where policy happens—just 3 miles from the Pentagon, 4 miles from the White House, and 6 miles from the U.S. Capitol Building—students are connected to jobs, internships, networking, and experiences that can only be found in the Washington, D.C.,
area.
The Schar School is a major part of George Mason's Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education Research 1 Doctoral Universities rating—one of only 131 in the country—as its faculty and students contribute to research of consequence that promotes and contributes to a better world. The Schar School offers three undergraduate degrees, seven master’s degrees, 11 graduate certificates, and three doctoral programs.
ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE
For more than 20 years, the Partnership for Public Service has helped build a better government and a democracy.
The Partnership recognizes exceptional federal employees at the nation’s preeminent awards program for public servants, the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals®, hold federal agencies accountable for creating healthy and productive workplaces through the most authoritative rating of employee engagement in the federal government—the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government® rankings—and help presidential candidates, their teams, career and political leaders, and members of Congress lay the groundwork for a new administration or a president’s second term through the Center for Presidential Transition®.
The Partnership administers a range of fellowship and internship programs that enable government to fill critical talent gaps, offer an extensive portfolio of leadership development courses that help federal employees become more effective leaders who drive change at their agencies, champion key federal management reforms in Congress and more.
Collectively, this work has helped the public institution most vital to our democracy—the federal government—solve pressing national challenges and more effectively serve our diverse nation.
