Columbia, MO – The Volcker Alliance launched the Service to Service initiative, a partnership with We the Veterans to help schools of public service connect veterans and military families with public service education pathways and propel them into stable and impactful careers in public leadership.
The veteran community, estimated to include over 17 million Americans, is an intuitive and promising demographic to more intentionally channel into public service careers. In constructing a military-to-civilian service pipeline, governments and schools of public service stand to attract a socio-economically and racially diverse group of leaders. What is more, veterans and military families are a well-networked, easily mobilized, and service-oriented group of Americans. The veteran community also holds incredibly high levels of public trust—approximately 70% of Americans have confidence in veterans to “do what’s right” for America. By connecting veterans and military family members to opportunities to serve again through public service, we can leverage the widespread public trust of the veteran community to shore up confidence in government and democratic institutions.
“Public trust in veterans is universal and unwavering across America. Importantly, that trust extends to military family members who share a strong commitment and sense of duty to this country,” said Ellen Gustafson, co-founder and executive director of We the Veterans. “As Service to Service Fellows, veterans and military families will embark on postgraduate studies that build on their leadership skills, tap into their patriotism, and position them to bring that trust to influential civic roles.”
The initiative includes 12 schools of public service that are members of the Deans Summit, a collaborative network of schools that confer degrees in public policy, public administration, public affairs, and related fields. Service to Service schools will recruit veterans and military family members into master’s degree programs at schools of public service, provide them with a meaningful cross-campus fellowship experience that encourages network building and professional development, and facilitate placement in state and local government jobs upon graduation.
“The Truman School is very proud to be partnering with the Volcker Alliance and We the Veterans on the Service to Service Initiative. This work will increase opportunities for military-connected students to pursue educational opportunities to prepare for careers in state and local government,” said Kathleen Miller, Director of Academic Programs and MA in Public Affairs, Associate Teaching Professor. “This pilot effort is one more way MU is supporting both our military members and the important needs in state and local governments.”
Participating schools plan to enroll veterans and military-connected students as Service to Service Fellows for Fall 2025.
Visit the Service to Service webpage to learn more.