The notion of a U.S. Public Service Academy can be traced to George Washington’s vision of a national university located in the nation’s capital. Such a university, Washington and his supporters believed, could develop national leadership, set a standard for academic excellence, and help bind the nation together. Today, this ambitious notion--embodied in the proposed U.S. Public Service Academy Act--has won the backing of fifteen cosponsors in the Senate and eighty-six in the House, as well as a “who’s who” of notable supporters.

The proposed academy would serve as a civilian counterpart to the military service academies: a federally subsidized, four-year college education in exchange for five years of mandatory service following graduation. The Public Service Academy would offer a structured academic program focused on service and leadership, with graduates placed in public sector jobs in positions of critical need and strategic importance and in fields ranging from education to law enforcement.

Skeptics have raised concerns that it is foolhardy for the government to mimic a service that higher education already provides effectively and that it would be more efficient and effective to provide scholarships for students to enroll in targeted college and university programs. What are the merits of a U.S. Public Service Academy? What might it offer that is not available at existing institutions? What concerns does it pose? Please join us for a tough-minded discussion as cofounder Chris Myers Asch addresses these issues with prominent proponents and critics.