About Us
Mission Statement
Introduction
“Public service is a remarkable way to devote oneself, whether it’s in politics or in science or art or business or engineering, there’s politics and policy involved in all of it. If students can leave with a sense of how to navigate that, they’ll be more successful in whatever field they choose."
- Michael O. Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services
The Michael O. Leavitt Center for Politics & Public Service assists the University in accomplishing its mission and promoting its core values: academic excellence, community and social responsibility, and involvement and personal growth.
Philosophy
While politics exists without democracy, a society cannot have democracy without politics and political leadership. Leaders are artists-in-government across the spectrum of public policy arenas and academic disciplines, who define issues, develop solutions, build agreements, and respond to citizen concerns. Leaders are catalysts of self-government. Without a pool of well-trained leaders, a democratic society cannot survive. Preparing young men and women for careers in public service is therefore as vital as democracy itself.
Mission Statement
The Leavitt Center is a non-partisan, interdisciplinary organization dedicated to preparing students to serve as responsible and educated leaders in a democratic society.
Primary Objectives
The Leavitt Center prepares students in four distinct ways:
- Leadership to broaden student’s career and professional opportunities by providing internship and leadership experiences.
- Citizenship to increase political participation by promoting citizenship awareness.
- Service to support civic service and volunteerism by providing opportunities for humanitarian service.
- Research to explore public policy issues by providing valuable resources, including the Michael O. Leavitt Collection.