Three University of Richmond Students to Participate in Selective Public Policy and International Affairs Program
Editor's Note: This release was updated March 9 to reflect a third recipient and to correct a spelling error.
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND — Three University of Richmond students have been chosen to participate in the Public Policy and International Affairs Program’s Junior Summer Institute.
The PPIA Junior Summer Institute Fellowship Program is a fully-funded, graduate-level preparation program for undergraduate juniors committed to pursuing careers in public service.
University of Richmond juniors Ife Maloney, Brianna Silva, and Drew Strong will complete fellowships at the PPIA Institute held this summer at the University of California Berkeley’s Richmond and Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy.
As PPIA fellows, the three will participate in courses and extracurricular activities designed to develop the knowledge and skillsets that are needed to succeed in top graduate programs in public policy, public administration, international affairs, or a related field.
Ife Maloney, from Chicago, is a junior majoring in global studies and minoring in Chinese Studies and anthropology. She has served as an intern for U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth in Chicago and traveled abroad in both China and Ecuador. After graduation, Maloney intends to pursue a graduate degree in foreign affairs.
“This fellowship has allowed me to solidify my future pursuits of attending graduate school while also providing me with valuable skills and resources to expand my knowledge in both public policy and international affairs further,” said Maloney.
Brianna Silva, from Princeton, New Jersey, is a junior majoring in political science and journalism and minoring in education and society. She is a Bonner Scholar and currently serves as a Congressional Intern for Senator Cory Booker as a participant in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Internship program. After graduation, Silva plans to pursue a dual graduate degree in social policy and public administration.
"As a first-generation college student and child of immigrants, the PPIA fellowship will allow me to pursue meaningful work and receive essential mentorship that would support me in my journey to graduate school," said Silva.
Drew Strong, from Wallingford, Pennsylvania, is a junior majoring in political science and minoring in American Studies. He is a Presidential Scholar and Oliver Hill Scholar, and after graduation plans to pursue law school or a graduate program in the field of politics and policy.
“Since arriving at the University of Richmond, I have been committed to studying politics and policy to understand how I might help others through this field,” said Strong. “This program offers me the opportunity to take on new challenges, gain skills in policy analysis, and form networks with future changemakers.”
UR’s 2020 PPIA fellows completed the institute virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Institute is currently monitoring the pandemic and will make a decision on how to best proceed with this year’s programs at a later date.
More information on the Public Policy and International Affairs program can be found at ppiaprogram.org.
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