Special Programs
Indiana Leadership Seminar
The Indiana Leadership Seminar is designed to offer students a chance to participate in projects and specialized experiences with a state government agency.
The focus of the Indiana Leadership Seminar is to:
- Develop professional skills,
- Provide networking opportunities for future career connections, and
- Apply classroom theory to real-world activities
Examples of recent projects completed by ILS students included:
- Revamping the Indiana Department of Homeland Security website
- Calculating recidivism rates of offenders participating in the Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program (Department of Corrections)
- Traffic safety of light trucks on Indiana's roadways (Indiana Criminal Justice Institute)
- Developing a succession plan for the Indiana Department of Health
The Indiana Leadership Seminar is open to students with a 3.0 GPA and who have completed 90 credit hours. Students from all SPEA majors are encouraged to apply - civic leadership, criminal justice, environmental health science, health services management, management, policy studies, and public safety management. This year-long course meets Fridays from 9:00-11:45 a.m. The Indiana Leadership Seminar will complete both internship and capstone course requirements for all SPEA majors.
For more information about the Indiana Leadership Seminar, contact Dr. Deanna Malatesta at dmalates@iupui.edu. Applications are available at the beginning of the spring semester.
Washington Leadership Program
Each semester, the SPEA at IU Bloomington sponsors the Washington Leadership Program. Offering 30 IU juniors and seniors a leadership development internship opportunity, the program welcomes SPEA students on all IU campuses.
As a Washington Leadership Program participant, you will live in nearby Silver Spring, Maryland for the semester and work in the nation's capital. The internships will provide the opportunity to apply classroom theory to real-world activities and develop new professional skills. You can expect to fully participate in office life, attending meetings and special events, performing research, writing reports, preparing briefings, and participating in a variety of other tasks. The program has a strong tradition of making students superior candidates for public and private sector jobs. In addition, this unique internship experience offers an academic component. Two required seminar courses are taught by a SPEA resident faculty member.
For more information, visit the Washington Leadership Program website.