ServiceNation ally, and all-around great guy Chris Myers Asch, gets nicely featured in the NYT. Myers Asch has been fighting the good fight to win the establishment of a U.S. Public Service Academy, which would do for public servants what West Point and the Naval Academy do for military young officers–inspire the, train ‘em up, and engage them in a career serving our country.
What began on the back of an envelope found a champion in Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, legislative allies in the House and Senate, and a glimmer of plausibility in an age where President-elect Barack Obama pledges to “make government cool again” — the very words Mr. Asch has long used to sell his plan.
“The Public Service Academy can be Barack Obama’s Peace Corps,” Mr. Asch said. “He needs to take advantage of this moment when people are recognizing the importance of government and build institutions that will last.”
There is no word on whether Mr. Obama agrees, but the proposed academy has drawn past endorsements from the vice president-elect, Joseph R. Biden Jr.; the incoming White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel; and at least three cabinet nominees. People who once mocked Mr. Asch’s presumption now congratulate him on his timing.
There are lots of good reasons why the US would benefit from a public service academy, and many of them dovetail nicely with Obama’s vision for America and the need for all of us to serve. But the real power of this article, I think, is that it tells the story of an idealist who is pursuing with passion an idea he believes in. In short, it is a must-read for any young social entrepreneur who has doubts about what a single committed person can accomplish.
A former elementary school teacher with black belts in two martial arts, Mr. Asch, 35, has labored with such ascetic focus and cheerful earnestness that even his plan’s detractors call him a “sweet” and “admirable” guy.
He argues that American culture derides government work and dissuades bright young people from pursuing it. Campuses glorify material gain, he said, and even students who choose public service often enter the nonprofit world. The result, he argues, is weakened bureaucracies behind disasters as different as the Sept. 11 attacks and the response to Hurricane Katrina.
“When government institutions fail, people die,” he said.
Like its military counterparts, the United States Public Service Academy would offer a free four-year education in exchange for five years of government service. Supporters see both substantive and symbolic benefits: 1,200 skilled graduates a year, spread across federal, state and local agencies, and a flagship institution that would give new prestige to government work.
“Creating a public service academy would send a clear message that public service is a priority,” Mrs. Clinton said last week in a written statement.
Like all great ideas, we hope this one becomes a reality. It would not only make America a better place. But it would also reward Chris’ hard work, dedication and vision. And that’s important, too, because there are lots of Chris Myers Asches out there.
“Sure hope we can fill this classroom up with future public servants.”
(Photo credit: Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times)
January 9th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Good luck to the effort!
Hey, one thing that seems to either be unclear or varying in different representations of the US Public Service Academy — I thought it was about training and inspiring future leaders who would work in government but also in the non-profit sector, education, etc. The quote above implies just government.
Hopefully the confluence of events — Obama’s campaign and election, the views of young people today, the output of a strong national service network — are inspiring more and more young people to not only consider work in the non-profit sector or education, but also directly in govermnent at all levels. We need an infusion of energy, idealism, and entrepreneurship in all sectors including government.
On another note, I just recently noticed that Harvard’s Kennedy School has slightly rebranded itself to lower the emphasis on government. Their main name that they primarily use now is Harvard’s Kennedy School. They changed their url from ksg.harvard.edu to hks.harvard.edu. The full name “John F. Kennedy School of Government” is still present but now a secondary tagline. This shift probably brings them more in line with reality — for many years now many individuals have gone to the Kennedy School with no intention of ever working in government. At the same, it’s slightly disheartening to see government service de-emphasized.
January 11th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Thanks for the great plug, TIm. And you’re right — there are a lot of folks out there who are pursuing their passions and figuring out ways to get more people to serve our nation.
As to John’s comment, Public Service Academy graduates would be placed exclusively in public institutions (i.e., government) at the local, state, and federal levels. I have spent a decade in the non-profit world and believe strongly in having a vibrant non-profit sector, but the Academy will address what I see as the even more critical needs of the public/government sector. Without effective public institutions, we will never be able to create the social change we seek.
Good point about the new Harvard Kennedy School…it’s a sad testament to our cultural disdain for government, but I think they may be fighting the past war — the times are a’changin’!