The School of Public Service is a unique program that brings approximately 45 rising high school seniors from all over the United States and the world to the heart of Washington, D.C. Through classroom experiences, field trips, and our speakers program, students undertake an in-depth exploration of government, politics, and public service. Located in the heart of Washington, D.C., SPS brings students to meet with public servants in their places of work. Whether traveling to the West Wing of the White House or the floor of the Senate, students will enjoy insider access to Washington’s elite institutions. Students have visited the Federal Reserve Board, embassies, think tanks, TV studios, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Kennedy Center, and the Supreme Court, just to name a few. Students will learn firsthand from Washington insiders how Washington works and how they have climbed to the top of their fields. The speakers program brings SPS in contact with a wide array of individuals devoted to public service in its many forms. The speakers do not lecture their audience from afar; they spark discussion (frequently spirited!) with our well-informed, engaged students. You can expect to hear from Senators and Congresspeople, federal judges, awarding-winning journalists, seasoned foreign service officers, including ambassadors and diplomats, presidential campaign staffers, and policy experts, among many others.

Browse the program here.

Learn more from SEO alumni here.