Policy Makes the Future Possible. You Can Make It Happen with Policy Pathways!

RICHMOND, Va., March 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- What a time to be a young person, growing up, growing out, growing into adulthood in the 21st century. Like never before, we have access to unlimited information, networks, and resources. The sheer amount of information in our world can be overwhelming to young people clamoring for fairness, justice, and equality. Laying a solid foundation for a career in public policy is certainly a place to start, and an advantageous lens through which to begin deciphering complex domestic and international policy issues and happenings. 

Enter Policy Pathways, a Richmond-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing teenagers and young adults across the country with early insights into policy studies and international affairs. Filling a unique educational niche, Policy Pathways brings the knowledge, applicability, and know-how of public policy to a younger generation. 

The two-week Summer Academy for Policy Leadership and Public Service Online (SAO) is a program that prepares participants to stand out in college and career pipelines in public policy and administration while feeding their yearning for change and purpose. The 2022 session of SAO is an immersive virtual affair for participants aged 15-25. A cornerstone of Policy Pathways' curriculum is its pedagogical framework, which expands students' critical thinking abilities before moving on to policy formation, policy analysis, advocacy and persuasion, and finally the Capstone project. 

The online course is delivered by an assembly of world-class guest lecturers, top professors, and leading decision-makers who focus on real-world policy issues while strengthening participants' research, communication, leadership, and analytical skills. The rigorous curriculum covers policy formation, research methods, statistics, data analysis, advocacy, and international affairs. 

The program piques students' interest in a wide variety of policy topics, such as immigration, environmental, health, criminal and social justice, housing, and more. Participants utilize knowledge derived throughout the course in the culminating Capstone project. Each new program year provides participants with opportunities to work on exciting contemporary policy projects! SAO graduates may continue to the five-week Policy Research Internship program.

To apply, complete the online application at https://policypathways.org/apply-now/. A statement of interest and school transcripts are required. Tuition is $1,600 (plus $70 administrative fee) and scholarships are available. The deadline is May 1, 2022.

Join a stellar cohort of SAO participants who desire to ignite change!

For more information, please visit policypathways.org or contact us at (866) 465-6671 or [email protected].

Media Contact: Gretchen Kent, [email protected] 

SOURCE Policy Pathways, Inc.