Public Policy Student Association

The Public Policy Student Association (PPSA), a membership-based organization created and run by graduate students in GWU's public policy programs, seeks to provide all Master and Ph.D. level policy students with a professional and social network within The George Washington University and the greater DC area.

The PPSA began in Fall 2001 with the initiative of current doctoral and Master's students in the Public Policy program from a variety of fields. Working together, graduate students developed a method to interact outside of the classroom, allowing them to explore intellectual and social pursuits. In the world of policy, professional enrichment, access to information, and personal relationships are important and GWU students know this well.

If you are new to the University and to the PPSA, welcome. People in DC make policy daily, as analysts, researchers, students, professors, politicians, and government officials. It's amazing how much exposure you get in DC, and as members of the PPSA you can be in a close knit group that helps you navigate the policy community.

Benefits

The benefits of joining the PPSA include:

• Student Mentoring Program. A program created for new and continuing policy students where returning students from each discipline serve as volunteer contacts for students in their field. The contact person is available to answer questions via e-mail or telephone. This mentoring program does not replace faculty advising.
  
• Professional Development Workshop Series. The PPSA's agenda includes a series of lectures and workshops designed to enhance the curricular education of policy students by providing insight into the "real world" of policy analysis and research. The Professional Development workshops provide students with a valuable opportunity to speak with established public policy professionals on a number of issues including career options, resume and CV building, job talks, and research methodologies.
  
• Public Policy "Hot Topic" Lecture Series. PPSA will organize lectures on important, current issues in public policy in conjunction with the George Washington Institute of Public Policy (GWIPP). These lectures may be formal events, such as a lecture by a well-known policy expert or informal events, such as a brown bag lunch discussion led by the students or a professor.
  
• Student Social Events. Social events, including happy hours and informal dinners, will help provide a social network for students in the different fields of the public policy programs. PPSA is co-hosting a retreat. Stay tuned for the date.
  
• Subsidized registration for policy-related conferences (subject to availability of funds).
  
• Public Policy Student Association web site. The PPSA maintains a web site with information on upcoming events and social activities, message boards, research resources, and links to other sites of interest to public policy students.
  
• A PPSA newsletter, published each semester, mailed only to official and honorary members.
  
• PPSA Member Listserv, used to help us communicate with you on a monthly basis about PPSA events and other membership or programming information that specifically pertains to PPSA members.
  
• The PPSA Poster Conference. In the spring the PPSA holds a poster conference where students can showcase their work for professors, policy professionals and other students. Conference participants are eligible for the Henry Solomon Public Policy Award.
  
• Orientation Activities. Public policy and public administration students are invited to attend informational sessions and social events planned for early in the fall.
  
• Voice. The Executive Committee is exploring opportunities with GWIPP for students to participate in decisions that affect us.

How to Get Involved

1. Join the PPSA (information provided below).
2. Attend PPSA events.
3. Take a leadership position in the organization or volunteer your time-be a student mentor, serve on one of the committees that plan and support PPSA activities, contribute content to the newsletter, and more.

How to join the PPSA

Membership benefits are available for only $25 annually or $40 for two years (see membership form below). Fees are used to support the many planned professional and social events.

Membership is open to any matriculated GW graduate student of public policy.

To join please print and fill out the Membership form. For more information, contact the PPSA via email at ppsa@gwu.edu.