Undergraduates visit Capitol Hill as part of Princeton SPIA Undergraduate Policy Day in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 28. Photo courtesy of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.
Every semester, Princeton students interested in public-policy careers go to Washington, D.C., to explore career opportunities. When planning for the spring trip began last year, a visit to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was high on the list.
Everything changed in January, when the agency’s operations halted. At the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, staff went back to the drawing board to consider how best to help students navigate a challenging time for internship and job searches. In addition to the changes at USAID, many federal agencies have instituted hiring freezes amid uncertainty about the future of the federal workforce.
Tapping a vast network of alumni who shape policy in myriad organizations – including think tanks, non-governmental organizations, and state and local agencies – Princeton SPIA staff put together a full day of engaging conversations and networking opportunities that culminated in a 300-person gathering of current and past students eager to help one another find fulfilling opportunities to serve.
“We sought to expose students to a broad set of career pathways,” said Barbara Hampton, director of graduate career development at Princeton SPIA. “Public service takes many forms—whether in think tanks, state and local government, NGOs, nonprofits, advocacy organizations, foundations, or even the private sector through government partnerships.”