Evans School of Public Policy & Governance

Build connections for your career in public service

The NextGen Civic Leader Corps is a collaborative effort between the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance and the Community Engagement & Leadership Education (CELE) Center in Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

Through coursework, experiential learning, and professional network building, the program allows students to recognize and deepen their commitment to community engagement and public service. The program is part of a growing network of similar program across the country powered by the Volcker Alliance Next Generation Service Corps.

We offer guided advising, programming and financial support to diverse undergraduate students who are socially engaged & community-rooted leaders. The program offers a semi-structured pathway that combines academic coursework, peer networking, and career exploration in government, non-profit, and social venture organizations.

Check out some clips from recent NextGen events including the video of the UW NextGen Launch Event from May 2022 below, as well as information on upcoming events and ways to join!

Follow us on Instagram: @nextgenuw

Signature cohort events allow NextGen Civic Leader Corps participants to build their networks, engage with new ideas, and consider how others approach pressing social issues and cultural conversations. Events span varied categories, including direct service, network building, and social/cultural events. Many signature events are facilitated specifically for NextGen Civic Leader Corps members and offer direct connections with notable community leaders, public policy practitioners, and/or elected officials.    

We ask program participants to attend at least two signature cohort events each academic year; these events are a great way to get started with the program and meet the advisors! 

Spring Quarter Events:

Wednesday, May 24th, 4:00pm – 7:00pm, the HUB

  • NextGen End of Quarter Gathering and Spring CELEbration of Service and Leadership:
  • Event Description: Spring Celebration is a forum hosted by the Community Engagement and Leadership Education Centet (CELE) and Mary Gates Endowment to showcase UW student service, leadership, and activist work conducted in partnership with the community. We are so excited to celebrate all the accomplishments of our CELE students and Mary Gates Scholars. Join to connect with other student leaders, learn about involvement in the community and internship/engagement opportunities. 
  • The NextGen program will host an informal gathering at 4:00pm to celebrate the end of the academic year
  • RSVP Here

NextGen Civic Leader Corps participants are required to take a minimum of one course in the Public Policy or Leadership minor. This coursework provides an academic anchor for your public service career exploration, builds your understanding of theoretical frameworks, and can prepare you to talk about your community-engagement and leadership experiences in job interviews and/or graduate school applications.  

Choose how to complete this requirement:

  • LEAD 100: Learning Leadership (Autumn or Winter)  
  • PUBPOL 201: Introduction to Public Policy & Governance (Autumn or Winter)  
  • PUB POL 302: Public Service Leadership (Spring and Summer)  
  • Many courses outside the PUBPOL or LEAD course headings will also count!  
  • Electives that count for either minor may also count toward this requirement. This includes many courses outside the PUBPOL or LEAD course headings

NextGen participants are strongly encouraged to consider a minor in Leadership or Public Policy 

In addition to the context and connections that NextGen Civic Leader Corps participants will get through courses and peer connections, they also engage in one non-profit or government career building opportunity. These career building experiences will connect participants with professionals in a field of interest, build personal and professional networks, and in many cases allow students to gain practical experience working in a nonprofit or government organization.  

Choose how to complete the requirement:   

A paid or unpaid public service internship  

Career mentorship program  

UW Alumni Reunion and Class Gifts Scholarship

The UW Alumni Reunion and Class Gifts Scholarship is sponsored by the University of Washington alumni classes of 1954, 1957, and 1962 in honor of their 50th class reunions, the UW 50th Reunion Student Assistance Fund, the UW Class of 1955 Endowment Community Service Award and the UW Class of 2016, Impact and Diversity Endowed Scholarship. The intent of the graduates of these classes of 1954, 1955, 1957, 1968, 2016 and beyond, was to create an endowment that provides financial assistance to hardworking University of Washington undergraduate students.

    • While each endowment has slightly different eligibility and requirements, current UW undergraduates submit one UW Alumni Reunion and Class Gifts Scholarship online application. This scholarship application process covers all six scholarships.
    • You are able to complete this single application to be considered for any of these scholarships.
    • Before applying, please read carefully about each scholarship, making sure there is at least one of these scholarships you are eligible to be considered for, and to inform the crafting of a competitive application
    • Priority consideration for students in the NextGen Civic Leader Corps
  • Open now, due April 18, 2023
Check out these links for: connecting with a scholarship advisor

NextGen Public Service Fellowship

**Please note that the application for the NextGen Public Service Fellowship has closed for the 2022-2023 academic year. Please check back for opportunities posted later on, and feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions,

The NextGen Public Service Fellowships encourage a life-long commitment to public service by providing undergraduates with the opportunity to develop their civic leadership capacity through work in the non-profit and government sectors. Application and selection processes occur during Winter Quarter, students work with program staff to develop internships in the spring, then complete their community-based work and participate in cohort activities during the summer months. Selected fellows receive a $5000 stipend for completing an internship of 200 hours (or more) between May and September.

The NextGen Public Service Fellowship requires that students are enrolled in Summer Quarter 2023, or enrolled in both Spring and Autumn Quarter 2023 OR Spring and Summer Quarter 2023 classes at the University of Washington.

Fellows are selected based on these criteria:

  • Demonstrated commitment to public service career paths;
  • History of engagement with community-based organizations and/or government initiatives;
  • Ability to articulate how a funded summer internship will contribute to student’s development as a public servant and civic leader; and
  • Orientation and capacity to collaboratively develop a plan for an intensive summer internship or project that balances benefit to the partnering organization with student learning.

Additional consideration is given to students who:

  • Are actively involved in the NextGen Civic Leader Corps at the time of application,
  • Have demonstrated financial need, and
  • Are committing to internships/projects that would otherwise be unpaid experiences

Information and Application can be found here: http://cele.uw.edu/students/opportunities/nextgen-public-service-fellowship/

Join the NextGen community! The program is open to all University of Washington undergraduates. Students with a demonstrated history of work with underserved and underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to consider participation.  

Interested students can fill out this interest form and we will stay in touch about program opportunities.   

Get in touch with program staff by emailing us—at nextgenleader@uw.edu with questions or set up a time to chat with Andy, the NextGen Civic Leader Corps Coordinator, via Zoom by setting up a time through the NextGen Virtual Office Hours Scheduling Link.

Office location: Mary Gates Hall (MGH)#171