EMU Today

YPSILANTI — During the summer of 2023, Jeffrey Hoang and Makaiya Snead, both senior political science majors, participated in the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute Program at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. 

The Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute is an intense program designed for undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career and graduate study in public policy or international affairs. Participants gain a deeper understanding of statistics, microeconomics, and policy and receive advanced instruction in writing. 

“I was able to take courses like statistics, macroeconomics, public policy, and cybersecurity at the master's level! It was great to be able to network with professionals in the policy field and hear about their journeys,” said Snead. “The other PPIA students were amazing, too! There were so many accomplished individuals from all over the United States and Puerto Rico. We pushed each other to learn and question the policies we learned about.”

In addition to participating in the PPIA Junior Summer Institute, Hoang, a Presidential Scholar, was invited to attend the Summer Policy Boot Camp at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in August of 2023. The week-long, intensive public policy program is designed for top students interested in the economic, political, and social aspects of United States public policy. 

“Being surrounded each day by professors, researchers, and former public officials taught me about the day-to-day reality of policy making and using research in politics to effect change,” said Hoang. “My peers in the program were just as accomplished, with backgrounds and beliefs that represented a diverse set of ideologies. I acquired important tools for utilizing data and research to advance and question government policies. And I will definitely never forget the amazing experience of meeting former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice!”

For more information about the Public Policy and International Affairs Junior Summer Institute, visit https://fordschool.umich.edu/ppia

For more information about the Summer Policy Boot Camp, visit  https://www.hoover.org/hoover-institution-summer-policy-boot-camp

About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 14,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Visit the University’s rankings and points of pride websites to learn more. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit EMU Today.