The University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service will enroll 32 new students in its Master of Public Service (MPS) degree program this fall.
“We are thrilled to welcome a new group of Clinton School students as they begin work toward their Master of Public Service degrees,” said Interim Dean Susan A. Hoffpauir. “This class reflects a wide range of interests and passions, from wealth inequality and civil rights to international engagement and community development. We are excited to see the impacts they create.”
The enrolling students boast work and volunteer experiences with several national organizations synonymous with public service, including the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and United Way. Many have work and volunteer histories with impactful Arkansas-based organizations such as Our House Shelter, Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, and Heifer International.
The Clinton School is the nation’s first to offer an MPS degree, both in an in-person campus setting and online. Since opening in 2004, the school has attracted students from more than 40 countries and over 200 universities.
This year, nine different states and four countries are represented. Twenty-three different colleges and universities are represented among the enrolling cohort, including six Arkansas schools.
The enrolling students will begin a unique academic curriculum that includes courses in Program Planning and Development, Field Research Methods, and Foundations of Public Service.
Additionally, throughout their time at the Clinton School, students will work on three public service projects within their particular public service interests: the team-based Practicum project, the International Public Service Project, and the individual Capstone project.
The Practicum Project is a team-based initiative completed during students’ first year, taking teams of students into Arkansas communities to partner with local organizations chosen by the Clinton School to foster community development and social change.
The International Public Service Project places students with international organizations across the world during the summer after their first year at the school. The IPSP builds on the knowledge and skills students have gained through their first two semesters.
The Capstone Project is the culminating field service project designed to provide second-year students with an opportunity to put their learned skills into action and complete an in-depth public service project to benefit a government, for-profit, or nonprofit agency of their choosing.
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