New 2017-2018 "Gerard and Dianne Blais SPIA Scholarship" announced

Gerard and Dianne Blais VIU-SPIA Scholarship

The School of Public and International Affairs is glad to announce a scholarship especially offered to SPIA students. The Gerard and Dianne Blais VIU-SPIA Scholarship will be awarded to a student who demonstrates potential for continued academic and professional success, as well as the need for financial assistance.

Amount: $2,000 (to be divided by two semesters – Fall 2017 and Spring 2018)

Who can apply?

Current, prospective, and returning students can apply for this scholarship.

Requirements

- Must be new, current, or returning SPIA student

- Must be in good academic standing and meet a minimum cGPA of 3.00 (on a 4.0 scale)

- Must enroll as a full time student per semester (3 graduate courses)

Application Process

1) Fill out the online application form (Click here)

Submit the documents below to scholarship@viu.edu
2) Most recent transcript (VIU students can access unofficial transcripts in the student portal).
3) Personal statement of success of at least 500 words describing your background, future goals, education, influential experiences, career objectives and financial constraints. This should be in the form of an essay, not a list of facts.

Deadline and Results

The deadline for submitting application is August 17, 2017 and the result will be announced on August 21, 2017.

Rules

Award is applied to tuition fees only.
Scholarship awardee can only receive one type of tuition assistance: scholarship or discount (with exception of financial aid).

Selection and Announcement

VIU Scholarship Committee and Ms. Blais will review the applications after the application period is closed. Results will be sent to emails provided on application form.

SPIA Public Policy Internship Program- Summer 2017 Positions and Experiences

In Summer I,  three SPIA graduate students interned at different Fairfax county offices. The internship was eight (8) weeks and required a minimum of 135 hours of work.

1.) In Summer I, Glaucia Ribeiro interned as a Research Assistant with the Office of Public Private Partnerships (OP3). She assisted with a variety of research and partnership development projects and supported OP3  and the Grants Research and Training Center (GRTC). Glaucia's main project involved preparing and analysis of fairfax County Public Schools volunteer data. She was tasked with organizing, analyzing and reporting on data across FCPS elementary, middle and high schools. She produced a final research report that shed light on data inconsistencies and provided a critical review of how multiple agencies in Fairfax work toward community engagement across the county. 

In her evaluation of her internship experience Glaucia states "I learned how the government works, and I made valuable connections. The internship met my expectations. I had the opportunity to learn much more than administrative tasks." 

Glaucia Ribeiro (center) with fellow interns at Fairfax County Government Center, Fairfax, (June 2017)  

2.) Rolake Ojabutu interned under the supervision of Ms. Jessica Werder, Director of Business, HHS, Office of the County Executive. She was assigned research duties for a program run by the office of Health and Human Services, assisted with data transfer for a new project called 'Information System for Effective Performance' and conducted an extensive interview with Ms. Patrician Harrison who is retiring from her position as Deputy County Executive of Health and Human Services of Fairfax county. Rolake's final report focused on the Effects of Health Care Integration in Fairfax County. 

 Rolake Olajubu (right) interviewing Ms. Patrician Harrison, Deputy County Executive, Health and Human Services, Fairfax County (June, 2017)  

3.) Pinar Bahceci interned with the Department of Human Resources at Fairfax County. She served as a Human Resource Specialist and assisted with the day-to-day operations surrounding the country-wide hiring practices. In addition,  she was extensively involved in preparing an extensive  review of the return hire package procedures and documentation requirements and providing recommendations on streamlining and expediting the process.

Pinar writes about he internship "During the internship, I experienced a welcoming and friendly work environment that encouraged me to learn and work more. Fairfax County is one of the largest counties that hires approximately 2700 employee every year. My assignment was to review the hiring procedure. I was able to follow the whole process from the first step -- job posting, to the last one which is -- sending the acceptance letter. I also had a chance to interview six (6) other divisions that work as part of HR Department: Payroll, OD&T, HRIS, ER, Benefits, and Compensation. I gained useful insightful information from each of them. Additionally, making personal connections with county employees was the great outcome of this internship." (July 17, 2017) 

Pinar Bahceci (left) with colleagues at the Department of Human Resources at Fairfax County, (June 2017)