‘Emerging Leaders’ Selected at Wagner

By Robert Polner

    Under an innovative Wagner Graduate School of Public Service program that prepares exceptional young men and women for public service careers, 35 college graduates have been selected as Fellows for Emerging Leaders in Public Service, Class of 2008.

      Now in its third year, the Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service (FELPS, formerly the CareerWays Public Service Fellowship Program) provides college graduates who are working full-time in public services positions with unique career planning and professional development opportunities. The fellowship, which has been supported by the Bank of America, recognizes the strong commitment to public service that its Fellows have demonstrated and strengthens this commitment by providing professional development and networking opportunities aimed at assisting Fellows in developing plans for successful public service careers.

      FELPS is one of the first organized programs that actively guides and engages emerging leaders in a process that encourages self-directed career development. This process encourages Fellows to explicitly answer the question “Why public service?” while simultaneously presenting fellows with the exciting and challenging options that a modern-day public service career offers.

      In the same vein, David Schachter, Wagner’s associate dean for career services and experiential learning, recently contributed three chapters to Idealist.org’s “Guide to Nonprofit Careers.” A valuable source of information and guidance for job seekers who are considering a career in the nonprofit sector, the e-book chapters are: “How to Find a Career or a Nonprofit That is Right for You;” “The Basic Tools of the Job Search: Resumes, Cover Letters, and Marketing Your Distinct Skills;” and “Presenting Yourself Well: Interviews and First Impressions.” To read the articles, go to www.idealist.org/en/career/guide/index.html.