Policy Pathways: Helping Young Leaders Pursue Policy and Public Service Careers

Two-week Summer Academy for Policy Leadership and Public Service Announced 

Our nation’s youth are challenging traditional views, offering new perspectives, and holding our leaders accountable. This technological age allows us to be more informed and outspoken than at any time in history, but the influence of young people appears to have limited impact in bringing about significant policy change. The essence of democracy is that peoples’ voices be heard regardless of age. Youth are making it known that they have a stake in our country’s future and deserve representation at all levels of government.

Early insights into public policy, public administration, international affairs, and study abroad opportunities offer essential educational tools, skills, and experiences for high school and college students to begin voicing their convictions on the national stage. Policy Pathways, Inc., a Richmond-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, provides young people those opportunities. 

Filling a Gap for Teens and Young Adults

Policy Pathways is dedicated to delivering teenagers and young adults across the country early insights into policy studies and helping young scholars and future policy leaders ignite their interests in public policy, public administration, and international affairs. Filling the unique niche that many high schools and academic institutions overlook, Policy Pathways aims to bring the knowledge, applicability, and know-how of public policy to a younger generation. 

This two-week Summer Academy for Policy Leadership and Public Service (SA) prepares participants to stand out in college and career pipelines in public policy and administration while feeding their yearning for change and purpose. By the end of the course, students have the foundational skills to transfer their passions to real-world careers and institutional change. 

2024 Summer Academy

Policy Pathways offers the in-person and virtual Summer Academy as an engaging, remote learning experience for youth (ages 15 – 25). This session’s dates are June 23 – July 6, 2024. The program will be held at the VCU L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. The Summer Academy is delivered by an assembly of world-class guest lecturers, top professors, and leading decision-makers who focus on real-world policy issues while strengthening participants’ research, communication, leadership, and analytical skills. 

The Summer Academy piques students’ interests in a wide variety of policy topics, such as immigration, the environment, health, criminal and social justice, housing, and more. Participants utilize knowledge derived throughout the course in the culminating Capstone project. No prior knowledge or experience with policy is required to participate. 

Richmond Public Schools Partnership

Through a generous partnership with Richmond Public Schools, all enrolled participants who attend RPS will have their application fee and tuition waived! Learning about the many ways that public policies directly and indirectly affect our lives and communities opens the minds of high schoolers and undergraduates to new academic avenues and career opportunities. 

Please visit our Programs page to learn more and view previous Capstone project presentations. The application deadline is May 1, 2024. Late applications accepted through May 15^th. Scholarships available. 

Policy Pathways President and CEO, Dr. D. Pulane Lucas says, “I am most looking forward to watching how a new cohort of students will absorb the information they receive and translate that knowledge into action after completing the course. It’s always amazing to witness the transformation of students from overwhelmed on the first day to having mastered the language, concepts, and new models and frameworks of thinking about policy issues by the end of the program.” 

To apply, create a My Path account and complete the online application on their website. A statement of interest and school transcripts are required. In-person tuition is $2,000 (plus $70 administrative fee). Tuition for remote access (Summer Academy Online) is $1,600 (plus $70 administrative fee). Full and partial scholarships are available. Applications are due May 1^st. The extended due date is May 15th. 

Join a stellar cohort of Summer Academy participants who desire to ignite change and become policy leaders! 

For more information, please visit policypathways.org or contact Policy Pathways at (866) 465-6671 or info@policypathways.org.