Out of the Classroom

While the MPP is a full-time, residential program in Williamsburg, Virginia, a unique aspect of the Jefferson Program is its informal access to the policymakers, lawmakers, and analysts in Washington, D.C., and in our state capital of Richmond, Virginia.

The College's D.C. office, located in the Carnegie Endowment Building near DuPont Circle, along with alumni networks in D.C. and Richmond, Va., support many of the recurring Out of the Classroom activities:

Friday Policy Dialogues

The goal of the Friday Policy Dialogues is to engage students in a topic to which they may or may not have some previous exposure and, through direct discussions with policymakers and policy practitioners, provide the opportunity for them to develop an informed perspective.

Richmond Program

The Jefferson Program visits the state capital (pdf) of Virginia twice per year to understand public policy and intergovernmental affairs at the state level.

The Washington Program

This program, required of first-year graduate students, is designed to show the broad range of opportunities in the D.C. area for policy professionals.

Summer Internships

An internship during the summer between the first and second years is required and is an important element of the master's program. With assistance from program faculty and staff and the TJPPP Board of Advisors, students locate internships in government agencies (at the local, state, and federal levels), private consulting firms, advocacy organizations, or other organizations involved in public policy.