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| April 2006
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CAMPUS NEWS |
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| Presidential Management Finalists Top National Rankings - Again
For the second consecutive year, AU received a No. 1 ranking in the nation for graduate and law school students accepted into the government’s prestigious Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program. AU’s 34 finalists are now eligible to become fellows by obtaining an appointment with a participating Federal agency and beginning work by March 9, 2007. “Ideally, I would like to find a position with a mission-driven agency that will lay the groundwork for a career in public service,” says Ryan Daviduke, an SIS finalist. “To achieve this goal, I have extensively researched a number of agencies, paying particularly close attention to the principles that guide their mission.” The School of International Service boasts 20 finalists; seven are from the School of Public Affairs; four hail from the Washington College of Law; two come from the Kogod School of Business; and one from the School of Communication. “This is an important indicator of the strengths of our graduate and law students and the extraordinary work of our faculty and their programs in preparing these students for careers and leadership in the public service,” says Interim President Neil Kerwin, SPA/BA ’71. The importance of the PMF program to SOC finalist Kevin Brosnahan is the prestige it carries that gives finalists a leg up on the competition. “Finalists gain access to PMF-only jobs and a streamlined interview process,” he says. “Those finalists who become fellows often have access to high-level leaders and the ability to advance more quickly. Ultimately, a lot of PMFs become leaders in the federal government.” James Cozart, one of the two Kogod finalists, went on more than 10 government interviews to get a leg up on the competition. He decided to expand his options because the program stresses that finalists “need to be active, persistent, and flexible in [their] job search efforts.” Cozart credits the faculty for his acceptance. Since acceptance to the program, Brosnahan says he was able to "directly apply practical skills learned in AU grad classes” during job interviews.
The competition for Presidential Management Fellows has intensified year
after year, as applicants’ resumes become increasingly more stellar.
But the real challenge, Brosnahan says, is that “once nominated
by AU, applicants really have to prove themselves through interviews and
oral assessments.” The PMF program views its finalists as an example
of the type of individuals who will be shaping and advancing the federal
public service in the 21st Century.
-Tara Shlimowitz ‘08 |
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