Next semester marks an exciting moment for Harvard Kennedy School: Fifty U.S. public servants are taking their place in the Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA) program as American Service Fellows. Funded entirely through private philanthropy, the American Service Fellowship is the largest single-year scholarship in the history of HKS.
Fellows come from the front lines of American civic life: military service members and veterans, law enforcement officers, public school teachers, and civil servants from every level of government. They bring decades of practical experience to campus along with a shared determination to strengthen American institutions.
“From our military to our government to our classrooms to our police stations, America’s public servants dedicate their lives to improving the lives of others,” says Dean Jeremy Weinstein. “In this moment of political division and major challenges in America, it’s never been more important to invest in the next generation of public servants. That’s what this fellowship is all about: helping train the current and future leaders of America, who have demonstrated throughout their lives that they are ready and willing to lead their communities and our country into the future.”
The American Service Fellowship builds on HKS’s long history of educating U.S. public servants. By providing full tuition, fees, and a stipend, the fellowship removes financial barriers that often prevent dedicated public servants from pursuing advanced training—especially at this stage of their careers.
“In this moment of political division and major challenges in America, it’s never been more important to invest in the next generation of public servants.”
A geographically diverse cohort of fellows is central to the fellowship’s goal of creating national impact. To this end, HKS conducted its most extensive outreach campaign ever, including engagement with stakeholders across all states including governors, police chiefs, school superintendents, and veterans service organizations. These efforts resulted in a sharp increase in U.S. applicants to the MC/MPA program and notable growth from states that have typically been underrepresented at Harvard.
The fellowship is also designed to bridge sectors by aiming for a unique mix of participants. Military officers and police chiefs will study alongside teachers and civil servants, cross-pollinating leadership styles and problem-solving techniques. This range of perspectives will enrich classroom discussion and strengthen the HKS community as a whole, as students are challenged to work across differences and learn how to forge common ground and craft practical solutions.
Thanks to the combined generosity of multiple donors, the American Service Fellowship has opened doors for exceptional leaders. Whether a fellow returns to a statehouse in the Midwest, a school district in the South, or a federal agency in Washington, they will carry with them the tools and the networks they need to create a lasting, positive change.
More from HKS Magazine
Lessons for leading across difference
Leading across difference takes courage, empathy, and skill. Throughout this issue of HKS Magazine, faculty, fellows, and alumni show what it takes to bring people together and drive real change. We capture some of their insights here.
Featuring Archon Fung, Julia Minson, Brian Mandell, Tarek Masoud, Nancy Gibbs
Twenty-five years after 9/11, the first battalion chief to send firefighters into the Twin Towers tells his story
The tragedy of 9/11 led Joseph Pfeifer HKSEE 2006, MC/MPA 2008 to learn and teach crisis leadership.
Why Harvard Kennedy School is embracing disagreement
HKS experts teach and model how better disagreement can lead to better outcomes for everyone.
Featuring Julia Minson, Archon Fung