Evans School Builds Pathways to Public Service through PPIA Public Service Weekend

This year, the UW Evans School will host the Public Policy International Affairs (PPIA) Program’s Public Service Weekend (PSW), a free three-day conference held across the country with a goal to introduce undergraduate students to the broad range of opportunities available in public service.

In total, 36 sophomores, juniors, and seniors from 20 states, 29 universities and colleges will take part in the virtual conference, which focuses on the theme ‘From Protests to Policy Change: Lessons from Seattle.”

During the  conference, scholars will be exposed to the field of public policy and public administration and gain a better understanding about community-based advocacy, particularly the community-rooted and POC-led activism and policy advances in Washington and the region.

Scholars will also have the opportunity to meet activists and advocates working to advance policies in local and state governments, given greater context to the power of graduate education and careers in public service and public policy.

Highlights of the conference include a keynote address by Omari Salisbury, founder of Converge Media, an independent community-centered production company in Seattle; a policy panel with members the Washington State Legislature’s Black Members Caucus; local and community-centered activist from BLM Seattle-King County, Black Action Coalition, Front and Centered, and leader and activists from King County Regional Housing Authority.