Penn Government and Politics Association is hosting a week of programming dedicated to the application of public policy expertise.
The inaugural Government and Politics Week will be held on campus from April 6-15 and includes workshops focused on political writing, networking, and legislative activism. Events will feature speakers from a variety of fields — such as former Editor-in-Chief of Politico Matthew Kaminski, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, and Ashley Williams, who was a senior advisor to the president during the Biden administration.
In an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian, College sophomore and GPA President Ferenc Brezo explained that he hopes to “enrich campus discourse” through the week’s programming.
“I want to put politics and politics-related affairs in the center of attention — on a strictly nonpartisan basis,” he added.
He explained that the idea to host a week dedicated to GPA’s mission stemmed from a desire to “bring more intellectual discourse to campus.”
Programming will include a risk analysis panel examining how political developments intersect with consulting and business decision making. Additional sessions will focus on career pathways in policy, journalism, and government — with speakers discussing their professional experiences and entry into the field.
Brezo explained that the week was structured to include a wide range speakers that reflect diverse career paths, and includes opportunities to network at speaker events.
The week will feature many career-oriented events — including in-person and online talks from experts in political and governmental roles. There will also be “networking sessions” at these events, where audience members can engage with the speakers.
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On April 7, there will be a career fair in Houston Hall from 12-4 p.m. The next day, Penn Washington Director of Domestic Policy Programs Liz Klein and Director of Global Policy Programs Daniel Schneidermann will speak about their careers in government at Penn Hillel at 1 p.m. Recent Penn alumni who have participated in political campaigns will host a virtual discussion on April 10.
The week will conclude with a talk from former Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew — who also served as chief of staff to President Barack Obama and ambassador to Israel under President and former Penn professor Joe Biden.
Brezo expressed that it is his “personal mission” to bring “more politics and more policy” to campus. Event planning involved working closely with campus administrators to secure necessary resources.
In February, GPA collaborated with The Philomathean Society to host a public debate focused on issues of American imperialism and foreign policy. Over 20 people spoke at the discussion-style event.
