The Woodrow Wilson School has hosted the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute (JSI) at Princeton University for over 20 years. In this time, students from diverse backgrounds with a wide range of life experiences have come to campus to further their ongoing commitment to public service.

Our JSI students benefit in numerous ways from their participation in the program. For one, they have unique opportunities to meet and learn from a cohort of talented peers from colleges and universities all over the country – students who possess excellent academic credentials, cultural and social awareness, a keen desire to learn about public policy, and a demonstrated commitment to service.

JSI participants learn methods used to analyze, implement, and interpret public policy at the domestic and international levels, such as: critical thinking; quantitative reasoning; policy memo writing; and oral presentation skills. Participants will also take part in activities inside and beyond the classroom walls which are designed to teach and strengthen students’ cross-cultural competence in making and implementing policy. Although the program is rigorous, learning takes place within a supportive, mentoring environment.

In addition to studying analytic methods, students explore a range of timely domestic and international policy issues with experienced policy practitioners and academics, allowing participants to test their new skills and knowledge, explore the critical issues involved, and discover the challenges and rewards of understanding and implementing public policy. The combination of analytic skills and substantive knowledge of the world’s most important policy issues is an excellent preparation for graduate programs in public policy.

I have had the pleasure of interacting with JSI students over the years. I am proud of the program and the many successful students have joined us at the Woodrow Wilson School for the PPIA Junior Summer Institute; individuals who have gone on to pursue enriching careers serving the wider public, as well as the communities they represent. We hope our JSI program will allow you to widen your academic and professional horizons.

Sincerely,

Christina Paxson
Dean, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs