Supporting Public Service Careers

A record number of Heinz School students, 55 in all, applied for Public Service Career Opportunities Program (PSCOP) awards, which provides financial support to students who plan to work in the public or non-profit sector. To support students' increased interest in public service employment, the School has significantly increased it funding for the program.

The PSCOP program, which was established by the School in 1988, was designed to help encourage students, particularly students with high levels of education debt, to pursue public service employment after graduation. Over the last 17 years, hundreds of students have benefited from the PSCOP program.

According to Dean Mark Wessel, "Encouraging our students to pursue careers in the public interest is a vital part of our mission. The increase in applications for PSCOP support is a very gratifying manifestation of the strength of that interest in our current graduating students. It is important that we support that commitment with increased levels of funding for this program."