The Class of 2003: A Spirit of Public Service

As the class of 2003 leaves campus life behind, many graduates are interested in going into public service, especially in the nonprofit sector. A new survey conducted for the Brookings Institution shows that government is their second choice, with contract firms a distant third.

However, students express serious concerns about getting a job in government. They believe it would be more difficult and time-consuming than finding work with a nonprofit or contract firm. The findings are particularly relevant as the House and Senate consider sweeping legislation to change the personnel process in the Department of Defense. The survey, conducted for the Brookings Center for Public Service, will be released on Tuesday, June 3.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld; Paul Volcker, chairman of the National Commission on the Public Service; and Paul Light of Brookings, who oversaw the survey, will discuss the report and take questions from the audience.