Don Kettl Launches the “Dean’s Challenge” to Support the MSPP Alumni Internship Fund

Dear Friends,

The School continues to have a strong placement record, but as I'm sure you all know, despite recent reports, the downturn in the economy has not yet turned a corner particularly in terms of hiring.  And our students are being hit particularly hard by the new cutbacks in federal, state and local government hiring - - both for full time positions and for internships.  As a result, more and more frequently, the internship opportunities that interest our students are uncompensated. 

So, the Dean's Challenge to you and the entire School of Public Policy community is to raise $250,000 in private internship funding by June 30th.  For every $1 in private donations – from faculty and staff, from alumni and from friends – the School will allocate $2 to provide financial support to students who accept uncompensated internship opportunities.

I strongly believe that if we can provide funding for an internship, we can use our connections and our location to place our students in incredible opportunities.  It only takes $2,500 in internship funding to support a student's experiential learning.  For our students, this money means the difference between a relevant summer experience or taking a “job” just to make ends meet.  

With this in mind, the School has access to a special fund during this fiscal year, and the funds must be used for student support. We will allocate a portion of these funds to encourage private donations in support of internships.

We need your help now to increase our ability to support our students learning experience and allow them to continue to benefit by completing internships that have sent them everywhere from the developing world to the White House and Capitol Hill.

Please consider making a gift to the MSPP Alumni Internship Fund NOW and triple the value of your donation.  Your gift, no matter what size, will make a real difference and will ensure that our Public Policy students can still pay their bills while exploring a meaningful hands-on learning experience. 

This is an incredibly important purpose and I hope you will find a way to support our students - and the future policy leaders - through this initiative.

Thank you in advance for your support.

 

Donald F. Kettl
Dean

 

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