For Students
Penn students get involved in public policy in a wide range of ways, including innovative coursework and research, various on-campus organizations, internships both on and off campus, and other ways that you can see here. Wharton PPI encourages, highlights, and develops opportunities at Penn for learning about public policy.
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During Fall Break, fifteen students from the Wharton Public Policy Initiative Student Group (PPISG) visited Washington D.C. as part of PPISG’s Annual Policy Trek.
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College students Michael Krone, Jenna Liu, Natasha Menon, and Kevin Myers won the 6th annual PPI public policy case competition. The focus this year was on automation—specifically, ameliorating the effects of job displacement caused by advancements in technology. Their project, “New Horizons,” is a proposal to help shift administrative workers in Pennsylvania into jobs that are low risk for automation and fit their skills and aptitudes, and to encourage them to gain further career development, using the PA CareerLink website. The four of them were excited to get involved in a case competition but were nervous that they did not know much about the topic. To start, they looked at research on automation and spoke to experts they had met through course work and internships. As they went along, they were then able to gain feedback from people with different perspectives on the subject, which helped them continually refine their thinking.
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The second class of Public Policy Research Scholars (PPRS) began their journey through this rigorous honors program in 2017. Now, just two years later, ten students are graduating from Penn with a solid understanding of economic and political analysis of public policy; knowledge of the policymaking process; and the application of theoretical and quantitative tools to practical, real-life policy questions. Learn more about the cohort by clicking into each student’s PPRS profile.
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For three days in May, Wharton Legal Studies and Business Ethics Department Professor David Zaring took a group of students to Washington, DC for the Wharton Industry Exploration Program’s short-term field course on the Public Policy Sector. While in DC, students were able to attend sessions at various public policy institutions, to learn about how they conduct policy research, and how the research fits into the federal policymaking process.
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Wharton PPI welcomed the former Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Richard Cordray, as our Visiting Fellow for Spring 2019. He also was a Distinguished Policy Fellow at Penn Law this semester.
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This competition, open to all undergraduate and graduate students across the University of Pennsylvania, is intended to foster discussion and collaborative research on key public policy issues. One team will win the grand prize of $5,000. Two teams will earn honorable mention awards of $2,000 each.
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It is never too early to start thinking about what you want to do next summer. Some government agencies start their recruiting for summer interns in the fall, while most look for interns later in the winter or early spring. Here are some tips for how to find, apply, and fund a summer internship in DC.
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Two representatives from the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Washington DC, shared their expertise with Penn students to help prepare them for applying for government internships and jobs. The Partnership strives to revitalize the federal government by transforming the way government works and inspiring a new generation to serve.
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For the fifth consecutive year, Wharton PPI is pleased to fund a cohort of Penn students who are serving as public policy interns in DC. The 63 interns, who received funding through a competitive application process, represent undergraduate and graduate programs across six different Penn Schools — Wharton, Arts and Sciences, Law, Education, Engineering, and Medicine.
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The Wharton Industry Exploration Program, a half-credit course organized by Wharton PPI and led by Professor David Zaring, brought a group of 25 students to Washington, DC for three days of experiential learning about public policy research.
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The first class of Public Policy Research Scholars (PPRS) began their journey through this rigorous honors program in 2016. Now, just two years later, seven students are graduating from Penn with a solid understanding of economic and political analysis of public policy; knowledge of the policymaking process; and the application of theoretical and quantitative tools to practical, real-life policy questions. The PPRS cohort for the Class of 2018 includes students from all four of Penn’s undergraduate schools.
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During the spring semester, Wharton PPI ran its 5th annual Public Policy Case Competition, focusing on the opioid crisis. The competition challenged students to work in teams of 3-4 people in addressing the following prompt: Develop a specific government policy or program (at the local, state, or federal level) that would prevent (as opposed to treat) opioid use disorder. This policy can focus on the supply side (i.e., the pharmaceutical industry, medical professionals, insurance companies, or other purveyors/distributors), or on the demand side (i.e., potential licit and illicit opioid consumers), and can address business or government policy. Beyond describing the policy or program itself, students had to project its economic and social impact, including assessing the costs of implementation and providing a funding model.
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PPRS is an interdisciplinary certificate program intended for rising sophomores with a background in Economics, who want to explore the economic impact of U.S. public policies. Application Deadline is June 1st!
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This competition, open to all undergraduate and graduate students across the University of Pennsylvania, is intended to foster discussion and collaborative research on key public policy issues. One team will win the grand prize of $5,000. Two teams will earn honorable mention awards of $2,000 each. (Registration is now closed.)
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For the fourth consecutive year, Wharton PPI is pleased to fund a large cohort of 99 Penn students who are serving as public policy interns in DC. The interns, chosen through a competitive application process, represent undergraduate and graduate programs across six different Penn Schools — Wharton, Arts and Sciences, Law, Social Policy and Practice, Engineering, and Education.
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Graduation for the Class of 2017 is upon us and the staff at Wharton PPI would like to take this opportunity to recognize the graduating seniors who have made significant contributions to the success of the Wharton PPI Student Group .
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Wharton PPI held its 4th annual Public Policy Case Competition this spring, focusing on the issue of financial inclusion. About 7 percent of American households are “unbanked,” meaning they lack access to a bank account, while another 20 percent are considered “underbanked”—they have a bank account but may supplement it with non-traditional financial services like check cashing or payday loans.
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The American Enterprise Institute and the Wharton Public Policy Initiative are pleased to co-present a special two-part program examining the first 100 days of the Trump Administration.
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It is never too early to start thinking about what you want to do next summer. Some government agencies start their recruiting for summer interns in the fall, while most look for interns later in the winter or early spring. This infographic provides some helpful tips for getting a public policy summer internship in DC.
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The Wharton Public Policy Initiative is pleased to announce that Samantha Vinograd (C’05) will be our Visiting Fellow for the Fall 2016 semester.
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With an impressive proposal to improve America’s aging water infrastructure, three Wharton MBAs took home the $5,000 top prize in Wharton PPI ’s Public Policy Case Competition earlier this year.
But the winning policy proposal earned Aroon Vijaykar, WG’18, Alex Bolano, WG’17, and Michael Weigley, WG’16, something even more valuable–an invitation to present their ideas to policymakers at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
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Arjun Nath, second year MBA student at the Wharton School, interned with two different groups within the World Bank in DC. He sat down with Wharton PPI to share his experience working and living in DC for a summer. Listen to the interview on iTunesU or read the transcript below.
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The current water contamination scandal in Flint, Michigan, is a multi-layered crisis. For local citizens, it obviously is a health crisis, as well as a crisis in government management and public trust. But for the citizens of Flint, and for populations across America’s many aging cities, it also embodies the crisis looming in America’s aging infrastructure—not just its rusting water pipes, but its many dilapidated and outdated roads, bridges, and rail lines. Beyond being an issue of public safety (think of last year’s Amtrak disaster), economists and policymakers point to infrastructure investment as perhaps the key driver for America’s future economic growth.
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Wharton PPI is partnering with a Bay Area tech nonprofit, the Open Source Election Technology (OSET) Foundation , to offer a unique opportunity for six Wharton students to participate in an industry research project. Led by two principal investigators, Professor Lorin Hitt of Wharton and Gregory Miller of the OSET Foundation, the six students will fill a void in the literature by completing a comprehensive analysis of the global election technology industry.
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Looking for funding for your summer internship? Penn Wharton Public Policy Initiative (PPI) offers funding, on a competitive basis, to students who accept an offer for a public policy summer internship at a government entity or non-profit policy research organization in Washington, DC, that otherwise would be unpaid or come only with modest compensation. All undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in any of Penn’s schools are eligible to apply for funding from Penn Wharton PPI.
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The Wharton PPI Summer Internship Program offers financial and programmatic support to Penn students who intern in Washington, DC. 90-Second Stories is a series of videos featuring interns talking about their experiences in DC. Emily Zhen kicks off this year’s video series with her account of interning at the Treasury.
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For the second year in a row, Wharton PPI is pleased to offer funding to a large cohort of Penn students who will serve as public policy interns in DC. The students, chosen through a competitive application process, represent both undergraduate and graduate programs in seven different Penn Schools – Wharton, Arts and Sciences, Law, Social Policy and Practice, Medicine, Design and Engineering and Applied Science.
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Earlier this spring, PwC US donated $50,000 to the University to establish a two-year PwC Scholars program. The program was established to recognize the accomplishments of undergraduate students at the University of Pennsylvania who have contributed significantly to faculty-led public policy research. The first three PwC Scholars to be named are Steven Knauer, Biruk Bekele, and Shane Murphy. Wharton PPI interviewed the students to learn more about their interest in public policy and the faculty-led research they contributed to.
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PHILADELPHIA, PA March 6, 2015 – PwC US today announced that it will donate a total of $50,000, for the establishment of a two-year PwC Scholars program. The gift, which will be administered through the Wharton Public Policy Initiative (PPI), will be used to recognize the accomplishments of undergraduate students at the University of Pennsylvania who have contributed significantly to faculty-led public policy research.
Student Internship Experience
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Shane Murphy, C’17
“Over the course of the summer I learned a lot about corporate finance and was able to develop skills that will be marketable in any field. The SEC was a great organization to work for because of the people and resources they offer. Working with smart, talented, and accomplished people inspired me.
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Megan Yan, W’17, C’17
“I had an amazing time at the SEC this past summer and really attribute it to the environment I was put in, the work I was given, and the opportunities I took advantage of.”
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Genesis Nunez, C’16
“My time at the EEOC was definitely worthwhile because I was gaining hands-on experience on a topic I was truly passionate about.”
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Lexin Cai, SP2’15
“As an intern at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, I really did substantive work and worked as part of the team. I developed good relationships and felt like a valued member. The Center is a vibrant and exciting place in which to grow professionally.”
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Nick Buchta, C’17
“The internship in media and government relations with Brookings turned out to be everything I was looking for. I was able to use past professional and academic experiences to contribute to the work done by the Institution in a meaningful way.”
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Harrison Newman, C’17
“I ate numerous homemade Tanzanian meals, attended a barbeque at the Ambassador’s house, and met many of my colleagues’ children. Having formed these relationships, I found myself enjoying a loose on-the-job environment in which collaboration occurred naturally.”
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Benjamin Nathan, GFA’16
“The internship at the World Bank gave me a fascinating, first-hand look into the operations of an important international finance institution.”
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