George Bush School of Government and Public Service

The George Bush School of Government and Public Service is a graduate public policy school at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. It is named for the 41st President George H.W. Bush. The Bush School is part of the George Bush Presidential Library complex. The graduate school offers four programs: two master's degree programs ("Public Service Administration" and "International Affairs") and three certificate programs ("Advanced International Affairs", "Nonprofit Management", and "Homeland Security"). The Masters Program in International Affairs (MPIA) program offers a choice of concentration on either National Security Affairs or International Economics and Development. The MPIA program requires the graduate students to pass a foreign language exam in order to graduate. In addition, the school offers the certificate programs online through the Office of Extended Education at the Bush School. [http://bush.tamu.edu/extendeded/]

The school is relatively small, accepting approximately 30 students each year per master's program, for a total of about 120 students. For the 2007-2008 academic year, both programs saw dramatic increases in number of students enrolling. The MPSA program (masters in Public Service Administration) accepted around 45 students, while the MPIA program accepted more than 50. The school's endowment allows a generous scholarship for most students, including a grant of up to $1,300 to purchase a laptop before the first year.

The Bush School encourages public service through student led organizations. The Public Service Organization, or PSO, participates in many community service and charitable projects, including mentoring young students at area elementary schools, volunteering at the Brazos County Food Bank, and supplying schools in Afghanistan with school supplies. The Bush School Student Government Association comprises student representatives from each program, responsible for creating student policies and providing the faculty and administration with feedback on student needs. The school newspaper, The Public Servant, is a student-composed publication and consists of articles highlighting school progress as well as current events.

Dr. Robert M. Gates, Secretary of Defense and former Director of Central Intelligence, was the school's first dean before becoming president of the university. Dick Chilcoat, Lt. General US Army Retired, is the current dean. Prior to joining the Bush School, he served as Commandant of the United States Army War College, 1994-1997, and President of the National Defense University, 1997-2000.

The school enjoys plentiful privileges and opportunities that come from being associated with a living former president, George H. W. Bush. Among these are exceptional and prestigious professors, counsel from the former president, and frequent visits from past and present public service professionals. Past visitors include Mikhail Gorbachev, Dick Cheney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Donna Brazile, Carlos M. Gutierrez, Mike Krzyzewski, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Alexis Herman, Antonin Scalia, Jim McIngvale, General Charles C. Krulak, Helmut Kohl, Ted Kennedy, Jiang Zemin, and Teri Hatcher.

The Bush School is ranked 22nd by US News and World Report among public policy schools.

References

External links

* [http://bush.tamu.edu George Bush School of Government and Public Service official site]
* [http://bush.tamu.edu/extendeded/ Office of Extended Education]