Right before the semester started, fellows in the Policy and Research Legislative Fellows Program (PRLF) joined scholars from the University of Illinois Extension Illini Science Policy Program (ISPP) in attending the second annual joint Policy Summit hosted collaboratively by Illinois Extension and the Center for Social & Behavioral Science (CSBS). The day was devoted to presentations and discussions on topics that will impact the scholars’ and fellows’ roles was designed to enhance their understanding of public service and policy so that the work they will be doing in their placements has a strong foundation.
Launched in 2022, the PRLF is a non-partisan initiative supported by the Office of the Chancellor’s Office of Public Engagement and administered by CSBS. Its goal is to match graduate students at the University of Illinois with state legislators representing Champaign-Urbana or neighboring districts to collaborate on policy-significant research-based projects that will improve the lives of Illinoisans.
Launched in 2020, the ISPP is a post-graduate opportunity that places postgraduates in state or legislative offices where they contribute their knowledge and expertise while learning more about the intersection of public service and public policy. Their work focuses on the critical issues areas of Illinois Extension and the policy decisions that are affected.
Key campus and community stakeholders presented during the summit to help the scholars and fellows understand more about Illinois state government, public policy, and communicating research to diverse audiences. Participants also engaged in conversations around social media usage and with panelists about careers in public service and politics.
“The Policy Summit was designed so that the scholars and fellows would understand both the breadth and depth of public service and public policy from a variety of perspectives. We were fortunate to have a distinguished group of presenters who shared their experiences and expertise with our group, as well as took time to just talk with them over lunch,” said Evangeline Pianfetti, Director of the ISPP and Extension Outreach Associate for Government Relations.
Elsa Augustine, Research Development Manager with CSBS and Director of the PRLF program, explained the benefits of the summit for attendees from both programs, saying, “It’s a great way for fellows and scholars to learn from the wide array of expertise that we have on campus and in the University of Illinois System. It’s also just a really good way for them to build their policy networks, both in terms of the experts and in terms of getting to know each other.”
Wanda Ward, Executive Associate Chancellor for Public Engagement in the Office of the Chancellor, also attended the summit and shared her thoughts on the PRLF program. “This program is a prime example of an educational and public engagement activity that showcases profound societal benefits. By enabling students to interact with legislators and apply their learning deeply in a legislative issue, it offers significant academic enrichment and practical experience. The collaborative partnership between our offices has fostered a successful environment where legislators are pouring into the students, and impactful legislation has been enacted. We are thrilled to support this initiative, recognizing its potential to expand statewide. This is indeed a winner for all of us who are participating.”
For more information on the Policy and Research Legislative Fellows Program, visit go.illinois.edu/PRLF. For more information about the Illini Science Policy Program, visit extension.illinois.edu/ispp.
The original version of this article was published by Illinois Extension.