Andrea Reyes '15
“Through PPI, I explored the environmentalism track and discovered how passionate I am about protecting natural resources.”
Experiential learning internships in government, nonprofit, and advocacy agencies are integral to our academic program, providing students with invaluable opportunities to put classroom learning into practice. We have built collaborative relationships with nearly three-dozen community partner organizations that host our students and provide them with mentoring, training, and hands-on experience.
Our students are integrated into these agencies, where they are relied upon as essential team members – researching issues, drafting policy resolutions and memos, and making presentations to governmental agencies, among other key activities. In addition to gaining practical expertise, our students expand the capacity of their hosting organizations to have a positive impact on the world – and sometimes see their work published or their proposals implemented.
To earn either the associate degree or the certificate of achievement in public policy, students must complete 30 hours of field experience. By the time they complete the program, they have been transformed into sculptors of social change.
“Thanks to our intern, our local public health clinic received training and materials
that helped our volunteers immensely during the early pre-registration chaos surrounding
Covered California's launch. In turn, she gained dynamic experiential learning and
opportunities that helped her stand out among nursing school applicants.”
Debra A. Farmer | President/CEO, Westside Family Health Center