CAREER SERVICES & EMPLOYMENT

School of Public Policy students are going places. Big places. Our graduates go on to work at government agencies, world-renowned nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies.Whether you are a student pursuing your passion or an employer looking for the brightest new recruits, we’re here to help. Career Services and Alumni Relations provides profes-sional development resources to students and alumni, helping them discover rewarding internships and build successful careers. Our mission is to complement coursework by teaching critical career skills, facilitating experiential learning and offering employment services. Additionally, we provide programs, workshops and events to help students and alumni develop and sustain meaningful professional networks.

“Jessica Frech ’19Energy Management Analyst, Alexandria, VACareer Services is just one of the many aspects of SPP that set it apart from other policy schools. As a student, I took advantage of the alumni mentor program. My mentor helped me work through what I wanted in my career, which was extremely helpful during my job search. The mentoring and experiences I gained at SPP were integral for landing my current role.”

Career Development Career Counseling Appointments and Walk-In AdvisingWhether you are a freshman hoping to explore career options, a graduate student seeking opportunities, or an alum looking for the next big step, we suggest you visit us. Individual career counseling helps with a range of needs from clarifying career goals to imple-menting a sound internship strategy to practicing interview skills. Walk-in advising provides a quick way for you to receive targeted feedback on resumes and job search correspondence.

Maryland Mentor ProgramThis program matches you with alumni who share similar career interests. Mentors provide sound counsel and advice in finding employment or expe-riential learning opportunities. Mentors include local, state and federal govern-ment officials, directors of nonprofits and private sector representatives.

Experts-in-Residence ProgramCapitalizing on the School of Public Policy’s proximity to the nation’s capital, this program sponsors weekly visits from experts in various policy fields. You can access theses experts during one-on-one meetings and receive valuable career insights, resume suggestions and networking leads.

Professional Development SeriesThis series prepares you for life after graduation by providing a competitive edge when searching for internships and jobs. We offer workshops on topics that include resume and cover letter writing, job searching, networking and managing your online professional image.

Career Programs & EventsCareer TreksCareer Treks brings you to organizations throughout the DC area to connect with highly skilled and motivated policy professionals. Site visits include pre-sentations on the organization’s role in public policy, meeting professionals in the field and tours of the worksite.

Employer Information SessionsEmployers from across public, private and nonprofit sectors regularly visit the School of Public Policy to engage and recruit students like you. These sessions expose you to the many career fields and employment opportunities available.

Public Policy Career PanelsPolicy professionals and alumni return to campus each semester to share professional experiences and provide insight into critical policy issues and trends. Panelists also provide guidance on preparing for internship and job searches in today’s markets as well as taking advantage of important academic and experiential learning opportunities.

Career Networking NightsCareer Networking Nights offer you the opportunity to network throughout Washington, DC and Maryland with alumni and employers from the public, private and nonprofit sectors. These events are tailored to your interests, promote the sharing of internship and full-time leads and allow you to receive expert assistance from like-minded policy professionals.

Leadership Academic and Professional GroupsYou may become affiliated with two career-related organizations at the School of Public Policy. Pi Alpha Alpha recognizes and promotes excellence in the study and practice of public affairs and administration. Kappa Omega Alpha is a premier public policy fraternity that aims to create leaders working together as agents of change. Both groups offer extensive professional development and networking opportunities.

Student Affinity GroupsWe are proud to collaborate throughout the year with SPP’s excellent student groups, including the International Stu-dent Council, Black Students in Public Policy, Queer and Trans in Public Policy and Women in Public Policy. Together, we offer speed networking events, Ca-reer Treks and information sessions that target the specific needs of our diverse student body.

Presidential Management Fellows Program The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program attracts public service-minded students to the federal government. Through a highly com-petitive process, PMF finalists receive an initial two-year appointment and eligibility for conversion to a permanent government position. We support you in the PMF selection process by providing information sessions and access to our PMF alumni network.

Job and Internship ResourcesUMD Policy JobsEnjoy exclusive access to hundreds of policy-relevant internships, jobs and employer contacts through umdpolicyjobs.com. Updated daily, the site facilitates employer-student interaction and provides a key starting point for any policy-related internship or job search.

SPP Internship ProgramAs a current student, this program provides you financial support for unpaid internships in nonprofit, commu-nity and governmental organizations. You can spend up to one semester working part-time, or one summer working full-time, on projects that allow you to apply policy-relevant classroom skills to work situations. The SPP Internship Program is competitive and available year-round.

Career Connections NewsletterStay up to date on career events, exclusive policy opportunities and more.

Many students take advantage of the School’s proximity to the nation’s capital to experience

multiple internships before graduation. Furthering those possibilities, the School provides

financial support to many students pursuing unpaid nonprofit or public sector internships.

Port Authority of New York and New JerseySchreiber TranslationsServe DC - The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and PartnershipsSmart Electric Power AllianceSuning Company (China)Teach for AmericaU.S. Agency for International DevelopmentVeritext Legal SolutionsU.S. Air ForceU.S. ArmyU.S. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare ServicesU.S. Department of EducationU.S. Department of Homeland SecurityU.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor StatisticsU.S. Department of StateU.S. Department of TreasuryU.S. Government Accountability OfficeU.S. Marine CorpsU.S. National Counterterrorism CenterU.S. National Institutes of HealthU.S. National Nuclear Security AdministrationU.S. National Reconnaissance OfficeU.S. National Security AgencyU.S. National Security Education ProgramUnited Nations FoundationUnited State of WomenUniversity of Maryland Career CenterUniversity of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of BusinessUniversity of Maryland School of Social WorkWorld BankWorld Resources InstituteZero to Three

Internship EmployersAdvocacy ProjectAfrica Center for Strategic StudiesAmtrak Office of the Inspector GeneralBipartisan Policy CenterBully Pulpit InteractiveCitizens for Responsible Energy SolutionsCouncil on Foreign RelationsEthiopian Community Development CouncilFors Marsh GroupGreater Community Foundation of WashingtonHudson Institute

2019 EmployersAcumen SolutionsAmtrak Office of Inspector GeneralAvodah Justice FellowshipBeto O’Rourke’s 2020 Presidential CampaignCalibre CPA GroupCCS ConsultingCenter for Global Development, Energy for Growth HubChemonicsChina Center for Urban DevelopmentChina Construction BankChina Monumental CorpsCity of Alexandria (VA)City of Bowie (MD)City of Milwaukee (WI)Coalition for Smarter GrowthCornerstone Government AffairsDeloitte ConsultingDelta ResourcesEthiopia Ministry of FinanceGlobal Development Incubator (China)Hannover ConsultingHarry & Jeanette Weinberg FoundationHimalaya TradingHousing Initiative PartnershipICF ConsultingInitiative for a Competitive Inner CityInternational City/County Management AssociationInternational Trade Centre (Geneva)Jewish Democratic Council of AmericaKaiser PermanenteKForceMaryland Consumer Rights CoalitionMaryland Department of Budget and ManagementMaryland Department of Labor, Licensing and RegulationMichigan State University Environmental Science and Policy ProgramMontgomery Housing PartnershipNational Academy of Public AdministrationNational Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to TerrorismNew York City Taxi and Limousine CommissionNorthwest UniversityOregon Hillel Foundation

International Food Policy Research InstituteMaryland General AssemblyMillenium Challenge CorporationMontgomery County (MD) City CouncilNational Aeronautics and Space Administration National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to TerrorismNational Endowment of the ArtsOverseas Private Investment CorporationPan American Development FoundationPodesta Group Prince George’s County (MD)Hudson InstituteProsperity NowRefugee Council USATeachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America - College Retirement Equities FundU.S. Department of Navy

U.S. Department of State Office of Emerging Security ChallengesU.S. Department of TreasuryU.S. Government Accountability OfficeU.S. House of RepresentativesU.S. Office of the Director of National IntelligenceUnited Nations Capital Development FundUnited Nations Development ProgrammeUnited States CongressUniversity of Maryland School of Public PolicyUniversity of Maryland University RelationsWorld Bank FoundationWorld Resources Institute Policy CenterWorld BankWorld Bank Global Indicators GroupWorld Resources InstituteZero to Three

2019 Graduates by Employment Sector

Federal Government (35%)

State/Local Government (9%)

Private Sector (17%)

Nonprofit Sector (23%)

Further Education (2%)

International Organizations/Nations (4%)

Academia (10%)

University of Maryland 2101 Van Munching Hall College Park, MD 20742

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