Internships and Study Abroad
Explore hands-on learning opportunities and gain global perspectives in Public Policy Leadership.
The PPL/Lott Program focused on “Transition from apartheid from Democracy in South Africa” and “Community Service Learning” with the host university of Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth. Students experienced excursions to Cape Town, the Cape of Good Hope, farms, and a private game reserve.
Hands-On Learning With Internships
The Public Policy Leadership program is enriched by internships that give future leaders and changemakers hands-on experience to supplement classroom learning.
Students put principles into practice working in rigorous internship roles in Mississippi, Washington, DC, and across the country. Some opt for programs that originate within the University, and others find internships in key state and local agencies and nonprofits.
As part of the PPL and Lott Institute communities, our students are tied into a supportive web of professors, visiting professors, and alumni who mentor and advise them as they explore avenues that will lead to future careers.
In previous years, PPL students have worked on a diverse range of projects that include public-private partnerships with industry, the justice system, healthcare, the environment, and other issues at the fore of U.S. society. As interns, our students have a front seat to the inner workings of government and policy at the state and federal levels.
They’ve found placements across the nation with think tanks, and influential nonprofits, as well as on Capitol Hill, and in Jackson, home to the state legislature.
The program ensures that students are placed in internships that reflect their career aspirations by connecting them with opportunities suited to their goals. Working individually with students—and assisting them with resumes and personal statements—PPL and the Trent Lott Institute reach out to an extended network of alumni and friends, so that the program can direct students to the internships that will be the most beneficial to them.
PPL students have also interned in the Lott Institute’s Mississippi-based social justice and education projects in the Mississippi Delta and other underserved areas.
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The Sunflower County Freedom Project
The Sunflower County Freedom Project is a resource for motivated public school students and their families in grades seven through twelve, aiming to support them in achieving higher education. Located in Sunflower, Mississippi, the program seeks to cultivate academically capable and socially conscious young leaders in the Mississippi Delta, including towns like Indianola, Moorhead, Ruleville, and Drew. Developed by Teach for America alumni, the program offers a competitive eight-week internship for Public Policy Leadership majors, with three positions available each summer.
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The Greenville Renaissance Scholars Program (GRS)
Greenville Renaissance Scholars, a 501c3 non-profit organization, strives to prepare middle school students for success at the college level by offering an inclusive, expressive environment. The program focuses on fostering artistic expression while enhancing academic and social skills. Through art programs, academic support, and educational travel opportunities, GRS aims to empower students from at-risk and underserved backgrounds, equipping them with the tools for success in college and beyond.
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Mississippi First
Mississippi First is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating transformative policy solutions for educational excellence in Mississippi. They focus on early education, public charter schools, and supporting teachers and leaders to improve the state's education system. Their work includes research, advocacy, and supporting new ideas for public schools to ensure every child has access to quality education. Mississippi First offers a competitive month-long internship that provides an opportunity for a student to conduct research and help draft policy recommendations in areas such as education reform and welfare reform. This internship is open to all Public Policy Leadership majors to apply and interview for the one position available each summer.
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Empowering Experiences
“To say that my internship at Sunflower County Freedom Project was simply a learning experience is an understatement. The summer was an eye opening and absolutely transformative experience for me. I have long believed that one of the first steps to solving a problem was to have a working understanding of it—knowing how it occurs, who it affects, and the outcomes it brings. I knew the problem my work at Sunflower was addressing very intimately. I grew up and attended school in a town bordering the Mississippi Delta. I knew all too well that the problems that had affected my education were much worse for the children of Sunflower County. What I did not know was how to solve it. As I worked with my students, so many of our interactions reminded me of my home and the need that was there. During my exit interview, I spoke with the director about how to bring such a bright glimmer of hope like the Freedom Project back to my home. I’ve always wanted to work to fix the problems that plague the state I call home, and now, thanks to the SCFP, I know where to start.”
Mitchell Palmertree
Teaching Assistant (Intern) for Sunflower County Freedom Project
Gain Global Perspective Through Study Abroad
To prepare students for positions of leadership in an increasingly complex world and emphasize the global nature of responsible decision making, we encourage our students to study abroad.
Many students study abroad by selecting a program...
- through the UM Office of Study Abroad
- through funded/organized through grant programs
- with our own Public Policy Leadership/Lott Leadership Institute faculty-led programs
We provide opportunities for PPL students to earn credit while gaining international experience through faculty-led Summer Study Abroad Program. We have traveled to China, Israel, Mexico, South Africa, and other countries over the years. Enrollment and eligibility for scholarships are limited to students majoring in PPL, who earn six credit hours (PPL 496) toward the major.
Program Information
China
Every other year Dr. Mark Chen, Chair and Professor of Public Policy Leadership, takes students to China, where they live and study in Beijing for a few weeks and take short visits to other locations. They learn about many different aspects of Chinese culture from lectures, site visits, and experiences, such as Confucianism, language, religion, traditional festivals, performing arts, tea culture, etc. They also receive faculty lectures about various major policy areas such as economic development or healthcare.
“I better understand just how much we have to learn through different cultures. It’s easy to stereotype others, but at the end of the day we’re all simply human. The communication and thinking skills we practice are so evident here abroad with the students I’m with—from the way we get around town to the way we interact with the diverse groups of people we meet.” —Yates Pepper
“Studying abroad was one of the best experiences of my life. Exploring Beijing, Xi’an, and Chengdu was an opportunity to gain a new perspective on the values and struggles of individuals from totally different experiences than my own while allowing me to form incredible relationships with my classmates and professors. Eating very delicious yet sometimes concerning food, visiting ancient wonders of the world, and partying with locals are just a few of the stories I could tell after spending five weeks in beautiful and exotic China.” —Ben Payne
Mexico
In Summer 2017, students joined Dr. Mark Chen on a trip to Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey ("Tec" for short) in Pachuca, Mexico. Along with engaging lectures on the vibrant Mexican culture given by the faculty at Tec, students participated in weekly service learning projects in several communities. They participated in social entrepreneurial projects to promote rural economic development. The group also explored Hidalgo, Mexico City, the Aztec pyramids of Teotihuacan, and the archeological site of Tula de Allende.
“The highlight of pursuing my degree was the time I spent studying abroad in Mexico. The department offers a summer study abroad opportunity to a different country every summer. While in Mexico I learned so much about their culture and had a fantastic time.” – Keveon Taylor
South Africa
The PPL/Lott Program focused on “Transition from apartheid from Democracy in South Africa” and “Community Service Learning” with the host university of Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth. Students experienced excursions to Cape Town, the Cape of Good Hope, farms, and a private game reserve.
“I am so thankful I was given the privilege to go, because it completely changed my life and outlook on the world.
My first wake up moment was early on in the trip. We were traveling into the New Brighton Township to meet with a community leader who survived the apartheid, and began to take pictures outside the widow of our passenger van. The extreme poverty of thin sheet metal homes with dirt floors is something I never had seen before. I began to feel guilty, so we started talking about it. Were we treating this experience like the safari we went on the day before? When we stopped and exited the vehicle all of my worries disappeared. Neighborhood kids ran to us. They wanted to play with us and meet us. They were so happy. We weren't mistreating them by visiting. Instead we were the circus that had come to town. We all are people just with different backgrounds. People in developing countries may not have access to the resources that we do, but that doesn't make them any different than us.
That trip taught me so many things about intercultural interactions, international relations, human rights, and international development. One of the best things ever is meeting someone and watching them try to figure me out and who I am while I do the same with them. In the end we both realize we aren't that dissimilar. South Africa is dealing with the same race related issues that the United States continues to deal with. Their history of colonization is very similar to ours. We have more in common with most people around the world than we have differences if we would just take the time to consider them. Millions of people in developing countries just need a little opportunity and they could have everything they need to make themselves and their families prosper. Western countries and organizations have the opportunity to find those key things that communities need to grow from the grassroots up.
I turned my passion in public policy toward international relations and international development after that trip. I followed it with a study abroad to Mexico two years later. I returned to South Africa for a couple of weeks, and recently spent 10 weeks working for an NGO in Southern Kenya. I have interacted with all kinds of people who speak many languages and practice tons of different traditions. I recently completed my Master of Public Policy from the College of William & Mary with a focus on international development. I believe there is so much potential in the developing world to do good. I would love to have a career activating that potential.” – Christian Bonds
Jerusalem
The PPL/Lott Program focused on “Conflict Resolution in the Case of Israel” and “Politics of Planning in Multicultural City: Jerusalem” with the host Rothberg International School at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Students experienced excursions to Jerusalem’s Old City and other places in and out of Jerusalem.
“The opportunity to study in Jerusalem was a life-changing experience. I am forever thankful for the Lott Leadership Institute for making this program a possibility. We learned at a world-renowned university from professors that were directly involved in coordinating peace talks that are still some of the most important events in history. It was a summer filled with memories and experiences that were powerfully transformative.” - Robert Pickering
Czech Republic
The Sullivan Foundation Scholars Program in Prague was a 4-week academic leadership program focused on Social Entrepreneurship.
This course introduced students to the field of leadership and innovation and begin to develop their individual and collective capacities to innovate and implement impactful, sustainable, and scalable methods of solving society’s problems. The first half of the course offered an overview of the field, presented frameworks, and examined solutions to social/environmental problems through successful social innovation and enterprise. The second half of the course was devoted to reviewing and applying the ideas, skills, and strategies required for effective social change in the 21st century. Each student was responsible for developing an original blueprint for social innovation & change - a creative proposal for solving a societal problem. The students were encouraged to submit their proposals to an international foundation to win funding for their projects.
“I traveled to Prague, Czech Republic to take part in the Global Leadership Program with the financial assistance of Sullivan Foundation. I took two courses worth 3 credit each - the Philosophies of Leadership; and Social Entrepreneurship. Both classes were taken in the morning in the facilities of Charles University. A reasonable portion of the learning was experiential, with several excursions. One was a weekend long stay at a Czech countryside chateau. On our way to the chateau we visited the Sedlec Ossuary, a chapel elaborately decorated in human bones. Another trip to Vienna allowed us to tour United Nations offices. Our last excursion included a visit to a holding camp used by the Nazi’s throughout the Holocaust.” - Glennis McWilliams
Find your PPL Destination
Salerno, Italy
“I spent a month in Salerno learning about the rich culture and history of southern Italy, taking Italian classes, and conversing exclusively in Italian with my host family. I walked on the lungomare, or seafront, on the way to class each morning and spent my afternoons at the beach or shopping. On weekends, I traveled the Campania region, visiting Naples, Pompeii, and Caserta—known as the ‘Italian Versailles.’"
Ella Endorf
B.A. Public Policy Leadership (2022)
Melbourne, Australia
"Studying for a semester in Melbourne, Australia, was one of the most rewarding things I’ve done at Ole Miss. I took interesting classes involving Australian foreign policy and culture, joined a sports club, traveled all over Australia and New Zealand, and made lifelong friends. I was nervous about being so far from home but I grew as a person and experienced so much. Studying abroad challenged me and broadened my perspective of the world."
Mason Myers
B.A. Public Policy Leadership (2020)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
"Just as Mississippi continues to recover from its painful history of race relations, Northern Ireland works to mend the divisions that arose from The Troubles. By studying this parallel, I hoped to gain a deeper understanding of the role that equitable education can play in the peace-building process. This exposure was incredibly beneficial to conversations in and outside of the classroom."
Ainsley Ash
B.A. Public Policy Leadership (2021)
Sokone, Senegal
Using a $5,000 Barksdale Award to support “creative and courageous” thesis projects from the university’s Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, Cowart interviewed farmers in Senegal to learn what effect local farming has on the local economy for her honors thesis on the role of local food systems in rural development. The Barksdale funding allowed her to conduct a comparative study between farmers’ markets in Sokone, Senegal, and Cleveland, Mississippi.
Jillian Cowart
B.A. in French, International Studies, & Public Policy Leadership (2015)
Cape Town, South Africa
"The Stamps Scholarship has given me the opportunity to study in Cape Town, South Africa. Focused on studying before and after apartheid, I plan to enhance my experience by creating video stories gauging the opinions of native South Africans surrounding their current debates on land reform. Although apartheid has officially ended, the black population remains at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder, often residing in underdeveloped, segregated urban townships, where homes resemble shacks made of scrap metal. What South Africa does to reconcile their history has the potential to affect public policy throughout the world—even in the Mississippi Delta, where broad similarities exist."
Tyler Yarbrough
B.A. Public Policy Leadership (2021)