The Clinton School invites non-profits, government agencies, businesses, foundations or other organizations working on issues of social change to submit ideas for field projects to be accomplished during the 2013-2014 academic year.
The Clinton School uses field projects as a method to teach public service. Clinton School students complete three projects during the two-year Master of Public Service (MPS) degree program. The school is currently accepting proposals for Practicum and Capstone field projects.
Practicum projects are selected by the Clinton School and accomplished by small teams of students from October 2013 through April 2014. Applications for Practicum projects are due on April 12, 2013.
Individual students select Capstone projects based on their career goals. Students devote roughly 250 hours to implementing their Capstones, which begin at different times of the year depending on student course schedules. Proposals for Capstone projects are accepted on a rolling basis through August 2013. It is recommended that capstone project proposals be submitted by March 1, 2013.
In addition to fulfilling degree requirements, the projects allow Clinton School students to add value to the organizations they partner with to complete their field projects.
“Our Clinton School Practicum teams have approached their field work with an incredible eagerness,” said Emily English, program administrator for the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute Childhood Obesity Prevention Research Program. “This combined with strong organizational skills has resulted in innovative and robust deliverables that we would not have been able to achieve on our own.”
The school seeks field projects that meet the identified needs of an organization or group of people. This allows for work to be accomplished that is beneficial to both the community and the student.
“Over the past five years our work with the students and faculty of the Clinton School of Public Service has been a great benefit to Newport and Jackson County,” said Jon Chadwell, executive director of the Newport Economic Development Commission. “The projects have helped our community provide better opportunities for our citizens and have allowed the students from the Clinton School to gain experience that will help them transform other communities in the future. It is one of the most mutually rewarding activities that we have undertaken for our town.”
Work appropriate for our field projects include:
· Facilitating discussions on social issues
· Conducting needs assessments to study a problem and determine a plan to develop and implement solutions
· Identifying and developing community/organization assets
· Designing and implementing surveys to collect information about a problem
· Building or strengthening partnerships, coalitions and/or teams
· Conducting interviews and focus groups
· Mobilizing people to take action on social issues
· Researching best practices
Organizations interested in partnering with the Clinton School can submit a proposal online.
Information sessions for interested groups will be held around Arkansas in February and March. Interested groups are encouraged to attend one of the following sessions:
· Friday, Feb. 8 at 10:00 a.m. at the Forrest City Library, Arkansas Room in Forrest City
· Tuesday, Feb.12 at 10:00 a.m. at The Conway Interfaith Clinic (1301 Museum) in Conway
· Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at the Honeycomb Restaurant in Arkadelphia
· Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 10:00 a.m. at the Delta AHEC, Room 309 in Helena-West Helena
· Monday, March 4 at 12:00 p.m. at the Newport Economic Development Commission (NEDC) in Newport
· Tuesday, March 5 at 2:00 p.m. at the Clinton School, Sturgis Hall in Little Rock.
To attend these sessions or to obtain additional information about the application process, contact Julianne Dunn at jbdunn@clintonschool.uasys.edu or 501-683-5392.