How the 2024 Election Stacks Up Against the Past
In his first year at the University of Tennessee, Andy Busch, professor, and associate director of the Institute of American Civics at the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School), has seen how important the 2024 election is for University of Tennessee, Knoxville students. Through debate watch parties, presentations,…
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Baker School’s Curriculum Prepares the Next Generation of Public Leaders
The Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School) grew out of a vision to establish a public policy school at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with national reputation for graduating skilled public problem solvers who are prepared to take leadership roles as public administrators, public servants, policy analysts, or…
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Research Enhances Student Experience for Harper
As an undergraduate, Sarah Harper’s connections with the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School) allowed her to explore interdisciplinary research projects across campus. “One of the strengths of the Baker School is its faculty and their connections; they are wide-reaching,” says Harper, a Baker Scholar whose research spanned…
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Key Components to a Successful Career from a Longtime Wall Street Journal Senior Writer
Longtime Wall Street Journal senior special writer and former senior executive at Salesforce Monica Langley sat down with students for a personal, in-depth conversation on the components that lead to a successful career. She spoke with students from the Baker School, Haslam College of Business, and College of Communication and Information. Langley was a first-generation…
Shuler and Wojciechowski Talk Careers and Life at UT
Vols for Life Heath Shuler and Gene Wojciechowski are no strangers to drawing crowds and Friday, September 13, was no different. Baker School and College of Communication and Information (CCI) students and their families, as well as the UT Alumni Board filled the Baker School’s Toyota Auditorium for a special Fall Family Weekend event. Wojciechowski,…
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The Baker School’s mission goes hand in hand with Tennessee’s Youth in Government Programs
Baker School freshman Rami Ammar discovered his passion for politics and policy through Youth in Government (YIG), starting in 7th grade and participating in the program through high school. “I initially got involved to better grasp policy’s impact on our lives,” Ammar said. Which is exactly what YIG aims to do, giving middle and high…
Baker alum finds his way in local government
Following the legacy of one of Tennessee’s most outstanding public servants, Howard H. Baker Jr., our students have opportunities to develop problem-solving skills inside and outside the classroom as they prepare to pursue meaningful careers in public service. Recent graduate John Turner is putting the skills he developed at UT to work and enjoying…
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Master of Public Policy versus Master of Public Administration
Since 1969 the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has had a graduate degree in public administration, that is a Master of Public Administration (MPA). Public servants throughout the state claim the program as their alma mater. In 2012, that degree was modified into a Master of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) to more closely align it…
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Are you Smarter than a Baker School Student?
On Saturday, August 17, the Baker School’s inaugural class of incoming freshman came together for the first time to meet each other and get to know faculty and staff. Starting with an ice breaker, going around the room saying their name and where they are from, as well as trying to remember the name of…
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The puzzle that is public policy and public affairs
The Baker School is a school of public policy and public affairs, but our undergraduate curriculum leads to a degree in public affairs. Some might ask what the difference is between the two, or how they are related to one another. The answer – they are the pieces of the puzzle that bring the big…
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Baker School Launches Blog
The Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is the first and only school of its kind in Tennessee. We’ve built a unique setting designed to prepare our students to serve as leaders of character and champions for the public good. We are…
From being a student in the graduate program to staff
At the end of her undergraduate studies, majoring in history and philosophy, Zoe Crihfield wanted to stay in the Knoxville area and pursue an advanced degree. Interested in nonprofit work and the economic development of the Appalachian region, she was looking for something more than a traditional master’s in public administration. That’s when she saw…
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Fifteen High School Students Intern with UT’s Institute of American Civics
The Institute of American Civics (IAC) housed at the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School) hosted 15 students from area high schools for a Student Internship Program in the weeks leading up to the Tennessee Civics Academy (the Academy) June 24-26. Under the direction of Educational Outreach Program…
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Baker Students Get Insiders View of Washington, D.C.
Stepping onto the Senate floor, looking out from the Speaker’s Balcony and looking at the teleprompter from behind the PBS NewsHour anchor desk were just a few of the exclusive experiences 12 University of Tennessee students encountered over two weeks in May as participants in the Washington Fellows program with the Howard H. Baker Jr.…
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Welcome to the Baker School’s Blog!
Follow us as we cover all things Baker School, from what is happening in public policy, to first hand experiences from students in our programs, and resources for academics and career development.