Grinnell College announced it has established the Program for Experiential Learning in Public Policy. The new program was made possible through an endowed gift totaling $840,000 from Grinnell trustee and alumnus George Moose and his wife, Judith Kaufmann. 

The new fund will promote the development of ethically informed, public-minded student leaders and college graduates, the college said in a release. Its purpose is to encourage students to consider careers in public service, as well as to help ensure students can afford to participate in related career development opportunities. The program will support internships, travel and other experiential opportunities. 

Moose, a 1966 graduate of Grinnell, and Kaufmann were both career public servants with experience in senior policy positions with the U.S. State Department. Moose, who served as U.S. ambassador to Benin and Senegal, is vice president of the U.S. Institute for Peace and an adjunct professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. 

“We are grateful to George and Judith for creating a mission-driven program of support informed by their professional experiences at the highest levels of career public service,” Grinnell College President Raynard Kington said in a statement. “The Program for Experiential Learning in Public Policy will be essential in helping students develop leadership skills for navigating national and international complexities and contributing responsibly to society.”