Posted by DEAN SKIP RUTHERFORD – In just a few days we will be welcoming our new (and third class) of students to the Clinton School. When we opened in 2005 under the strong leadership of Founding Dean David Pryor and recently retired Associate Dean Tom Bruce, we admitted 16 students. Our two-year program expanded to 22 students last year. With the graduation of our inaugural class and with the additions of our 30 new students this fall, we now have 52 students enrolled in the nation’s first Master of Public Service (MPS) degree program.
Our new students are coming from all over Arkansas, the country and the world. Orientation begins August 11. Recently, with information supplied by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, I analyzed the graduate enrollment numbers at various Arkansas universities. While some programs enroll more and others less, the University of Arkansas averaged about 45 students per active graduate program.
Thus, in comparison with UA programs and in comparison with the growth trends of the two Presidential schools also located on presidential library campuses (LBJ at the University of Texas in 1970 and George H.W. Bush at Texas A&M in 1997), Clinton School enrollment trends are right on target. One of the unique aspects of the Clinton School is that our curriculum: “Academics For the Real World” includes 30 to 40 percent of actual public service work “in the field.”
As a critical part of their educational experience, students here are engaged in group, international and individual projects. Our second class is returning from its international work which took students to all six inhabited continents partnering with such outstanding organizations as Heifer International. They will now be working on their individual projects this fall with locations ranging from Arkansas to Kenya. Our new class will begin group projects, all of which will be based in Arkansas, this fall.
On top of our unique and challenging academic work, the curriculum is enriched with one of the nation’s best speaker series. We have more than 60 diverse programs scheduled for the fall semester with the vast majority being free and open to the public. This month, for example, we will host Marie Tillman, the widow of Pat Tillman who was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan. Our 2008 spring series, which we are putting together now, will also be very strong.
If you would like to receive advance email notices of our public programs, please contact publicprograms@clintonschool.uasys.edu and ask that your name and email address be added to the list.
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