Princeton University, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs

Powerful Commitment to Public Service Shines in Two New Initiatives

The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) offers world-class scholarship and instills in students a strong commitment to public service. To renew and further its commitments, the school launched two new initiatives in spring 2023, spanning international and domestic policy in Washington, DC, and New Jersey.

“SPIA is an incredible community of students, staff, faculty, and alumni who work in the service of humanity around the world; these new initiatives build on our strong legacy of service and allow us to synthesize efforts and strengthen impact,” says SPIA Dean Amaney A. Jamal.

With the opening of SPIA in DC, students’ academic pursuits are enhanced by opportunities to gain real-world policy experience and develop well-connected professional networks. SPIA in DC organizes on-site public policy trainings and events for students and alumni and acts as a hub for public events that draw leading practitioners as speakers and guests.

“Being in Washington enables us to connect faculty members, researchers, and students directly with policymakers in ways we haven’t previously,” Jamal says.

SPIA believes that 21st-century policymaking requires not just a passion for service, but also for evidence-based analysis and a multiplicity of voices. SPIA in New Jersey is the embodiment of this. This unique state-focused initiative brings together faculty and students to work with strategic local partners and promote research-driven, nonpartisan policies.

Dedicated faculty research projects, such as analyzing the New Jersey Fresh Air Movement’s learnings about the gap between public policy and private practice, aim to contribute vital information to policy debates, research, and academic settings to bring the whole SPIA community closer to policymaking in New Jersey.

“I am proud to renew our commitment, and to launch a research-based program that seeks to advance the well-being of fellow Garden State residents—especially those who have been historically marginalized or underserved,” says Jamal, who counts herself among the many who are “New Jerseyans by choice.”

Academic excellence has always been a priority at SPIA. Its ladder-rank faculty are dual-appointed with disciplinary departments at Princeton, so students are taught by leading experts in their field, whether that’s economics, politics, or sociology. The curriculum for the two-year Master in Public Affairs degree program and the one-year Master of Public Policy for mid-career professionals allows students to choose from among four fields of concentration and three optional certificate programs.

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Dedicated, Personalized Support Follows Graduates Throughout Their Careers

SPIA’s Career Development and Alumni Engagement teams provide one-to-one support during the degree program and beyond, from internship application assistance to long-term professional planning. Opportunities for networking events, coaching sessions, internal job postings, professional development funding, and alumni talks, presentations, and mixers abound. In summer 2023, SPIA held two receptions in Washington, DC, welcoming more than 200 people to each event to exchange views and opportunities, and likewise hosted other alumni events in California and internationally.
>>>Wherever an alum’s life takes them, Princeton-specific networking platforms and Princeton Alumni Associations worldwide ensure there is ongoing connection and support well after graduation.

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Princeton University, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs
https://spia.princeton.edu
[email protected]
609-258-4836