The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies (AYSPS) at Georgia State University is among the nation’s first three schools chosen by the Volcker Alliance and Arizona State University’s Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions to participate in a one-year planning cohort for development as a Next Generation Public Service Academy.

The national initiative, also called “NextGen Service,” is designed to expand public service learning experiences for undergraduates. Its goal is to inspire more students to drive change and impact through careers as public servants.

“We need government to be able to respond effectively to crises—now and in the future,” said Thomas W. Ross, president of the Volcker Alliance. “Government’s preparedness requires a concerted effort to develop the next generation of public leaders. We believe schools of public service have a unique and powerful opportunity to engage a broader group of motivated undergraduates eager to make change in the world.”

The Andrew Young School will focus on digital innovation and social justice during its NextGen Service program development, according to Sally Wallace, dean of the school. She leads the program, which began in July.

NextGen Service will elevate undergraduate student engagement in public service, expand the reach of educational strategies that work for these students and foster collaborative planning and learning among the school and academic departments across Georgia State. It will provide technical support to help the school accelerate its implementation of undergraduate experiential programming.

Faculty from AYSPS and Perimeter College form the working group, in partnership with the Political Science Department and the office of Allison Calhoun-Brown, Georgia State’s vice president for student engagement and programs.

“We have a great working group that is developing a curriculum agnostic to discipline,” said Wallace. “Public service needs skills from many disciplines, and we feel strongly students from all backgrounds should have the opportunity to better understand the important public sector.”

During the planning year, the Volcker Alliance and Watts College will provide access to support that informs and accelerates the school’s planning and implementation efforts, including seed funding, strategic planning, project management support, facilitation, engagement of thought partners, documentation and synthesis, communications strategy assistance and opportunities for peer-to-peer learning.

Along with the Andrew Young School, the institutions participating in the first NextGen Service planning cohort are the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at The City University of New York and the College of Public Affairs and Community Service at the University of Nebraska Omaha.