The Center for Policy Practice – Putting Theory into Practice

More and more policy students are interested in learning how to apply the knowledge they are gaining in their degree program. Practical training furnishes them with a better understanding of the concepts and tools taught in the classroom, providing a much needed advantage in the job search. Responding the increased demand for such opportunities, the Harris School has announced the establishment of a new center offering students several programs that complement classroom education.

Created to build bridges between students’ classroom experience and the policy experience of the real world, the Center for Policy Practice (CPP) will serve as an umbrella organization for programs providing students with hands-on practice for what they’re learning.

“I think these new opportunities for practical application strengthen an already excellent academic program,” said Eileen McCarthy, the Center’s Director. “As a Harris School alumna and as someone who’s worked in the policy field, I am looking forward to working with students, alumni, mentors, and other members of the expanding Harris School community.”

Unveiled in conjunction with the 2003 Mentor Dinner, mentors, student mentees, faculty, staff, and Chicago-area alumni were on hand to welcome the new Center and inaugurate its activities, of which the Mentor Program is a core component. Smashing the proverbial champagne bottle was keynote speaker David Broder, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and political correspondent for The Washington Post, who discussed the impact of grassroots movements on politics and the formation of public policy, and the importance of excellent public policy training.

As Dean Mayer outlined in her remarks, while the Harris School has long understood the value of such programs, CPP represents a new dedication to their support and development. From early on, the Harris School recognized that the experience gained by learning from policymakers and other professionals was an essential aspect of public policy training, enabling students to become effective leaders and to make a difference in the world around them. With CPP, the Harris School is able to centralize the operation of these efforts as well as create new programs (a major speaker series and practicums) and expand existing ones (the Mentor Program and group internships).

Although CPP’s central mission is to provide students with opportunities that complement their academic program, two of the central programs also benefit external organizations. In group internships and practicums, teams of students will undertake projects for client agencies under either faculty or agency supervision. For these projects, the students may analyze and evaluate programs, develop and administer surveys, conduct needs assessments, or engage in other policy-relevant research programs. Students will gain practical experience applying their skills, and client agencies will receive a product at the conclusion of the ten-week projects.

For more information on the Center for Policy Practice, its programs, and participants, visit harrisschool.uchicago.edu/centers/cpp or contact Director Eileen McCarthy at 773.702.9994 or eileenm@uchicago.edu.

Eleanor Cartelli