The Public Service Pathways program is a broad and impactful program, open and accessible to all current first-years and all future incoming students. The program is housed in the office of the Vice Provost for Academic Outreach in collaboration with the Division of Student Affairs and Madison House,  and is focused on the development of student competencies for effective and responsible public service.

Public Service Pathways aims to build a culture of service across the student body through specialty programming and community-building. The newly launched program aims to graduate citizen leaders empowered to live out the University of Virginia’s mission to serve the community, state, country, and globe. Through the cultivation of a public service mindset, students begin to understand and act upon their charge as a citizen to direct their talents, time, and energy toward community and personal wellbeing. Students do this through pursuing a curated list of public service, academic, career, personal advising, and experiential learning opportunities into a centralized program.

Students explore their interests and develop core competencies associated with public service through participating in one of seven pathways: Public Health, Global Sustainability, Diplomacy & Security, Justice, Education, Public Interest Technology, Public Arts. The program's  list of activities are designed to challenge students to connect, learn, serve, reflect, and plan and are centered on public interest topics culminating in a designation as a Presidential Public Service Scholar upon graduation. 

Three-Part Mission: Public Service Pathways

Public Service Mindset

Foster a public service mindset in students. With this mindset, a student understands and acts upon their charge as a citizen to direct their talents, time, an energy toward community and personal wellbeing.

Create Communities

Create communities for undergraduate students centering on public interest issues. Create links between these undergraduate communities and domain-affiliated alumni.

Curation Over Creation

Curate existing public service, curricular, career, personal advising, and experiential learning opportunities into a centralized program. Students will engage a wide variety of public service and domain-specific learning experiences with greater ease.