Gilles Seulio, a political science major at the City College of New York, has been accepted to attend the Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute at the University of Washington for the summer of 2023.
PPIA is known for being a “not-for-profit” organization and an extremely competitive program to be accepted by. It advocates for increasing diversity in its graduate studies programs in public policy and international affairs
Seulio is currently a junior in CCNY’s Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership. Born in Cameroon, his interest in public service began in 2008 while attending high school in Douala. Growing up, he was surrounded by violence through various protests that were caused by a transit workers’ strike. Due to the constant social issues around him, he knew that he wanted to make a change. “I wanted to understand why it happened and what could have been done to prevent it,” Seulio said.
This highly competitive fellowship is awarded to juniors majoring in political science. The program helps students in their future endeavors by preparing them to obtain a master’s or joint degree in public policy, public administration, international affairs, or a similar field.
Students may study on one of the six campuses of participating universities: Carnegie Mellon University, Princeton University, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Washington, and the University of California, Berkeley.
During the summer, Seulio will attend the University of Washington Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance to gain a variety of skills through top-tier educational experiences and career development.
Seulio received full tuition for his PPIA Junior Summer Institute, along with grants for travel expenses, a stipend, school housing, meals, and academic materials.
In 2022, Seulio also received the Colin Powell Fellowship in Leadership and Public Service, as well as a New York Leaders Fellowship from the Moynihan Center.
These opportunities give students the preparations they may need for careers in public service.