About Us
Empowering students with the knowledge, experience, and support to excel in graduate studies and drive impact in public service.
Our mission is to cultivate the next generation of professionals by:
- Expanding access to education
- Fostering inclusive leadership
- Strengthening pathways into public service
Our vision is a thriving and equitable world uplifted by visionary, inclusive and compassionate leaders.
Our Impact
Since 1980
Decades of Public Service Impact
5.5K+ Alumni
A Nationwide and Global Network
60+ Universities
Partner Institutions and
Junior Summer Institutes
Our Approach
Expanding Access
We widen pathways into public service through outreach, information, and targeted support for early talent.
Equipping Future Leaders
Rigorous training, mentorship, and networks that accelerate success in graduate school and beyond.
Inclusive Environments
Partnering with institutions to build cultures where all learners can excel on merit and performance.
Our History
Late 1970s
Public policy academicians raised
concerns about the underrepresentation of ethnic and racial minorities in public service, leading to a call for action.
1980
PPIA was founded as the Sloan Fellows Program with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, focusing on recruiting and training students of color for public service careers.
1989
The Ford Foundation became the primary sponsor, administration moved to the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, and the name changed to the Woodrow Wilson Fellowships in Public Policy and International Affairs.
1996
The program name was shortened to the Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA) and administration moved to the Academy for Educational Development (AED).
1999 - 2000
Following the end of Ford Foundation funding, PPIA incorporated as an independent 501(c)(3) organization with support from the Foundation for Child Development and the William T. Grant Foundation.
Today
The PPIA Program includes all Sloan, Woodrow Wilson, IIPP, and PPIA Fellows in its community of over 5,500 alumni, sustaining relationships and providing ongoing support.
