New fellowship offers 'hands-on' experience in nation's capital

The Vanderbilt campus has just been extended 562 miles to the northeast. That's the distance from the handsome grounds of the Peabody College to a small, third-floor office in a nondescript building at 122 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.

Photo by Jana Curcio

Thompson

That office, at the foot of Capitol Hill, is the home of Vanderbilt's Office of Federal Relations, so the University actually has had a staff presence there for some time. But the office is now also home to the Vanderbilt-Peabody Fellow in National Education Policy, an initiative that substantially broadens the role of the office and enhances Vanderbilt's presence in the nation's capital.

"This arrangement places Vanderbilt University at the forefront of American universities that prepare policy analysts," said James W. Guthrie, director of the Peabody Center for Education Policy and chairman of the Department of Leadership and Organizations (DLO). The fellowship was the brainchild of Guthrie and Michael J. Schoenfeld, vice chancellor for public affairs.

"All of our activities, regardless of where they are or how they fit in the organization, should help strengthen Vanderbilt's educational mission," said Schoenfeld, who oversees Vanderbilt's government relations activities.

"We have a Federal Relations Office and staff that practices education policy every day at the highest levels in Washington," Schoenfeld said. "We also have a top-ranked education program with students and faculty who study education policy every day. Combining the two gives us an integrated approach that probably no other university can offer."

Phyllis Van Dyke Thompson, a doctoral candidate in DLO, is the inaugural fellow. She arrived in Washington in June and will spend four months there, immersing herself in the intricacies of the federal process and, specifically, how they relate to the development of national education policy. Along the way, she will interact directly with a host of Washington institutions and interests, including the Congress; federal agencies, higher education associations and coalitions; public policy groups; and many of the other three dozen universities with offices in the city.

A self-described political junkie, Thompson thinks this an ideal time to be studying education policy in Washington.

"When you couple my interests with the Bush Administration's emphasis on education, the timing is perfect," she said. "I've always been fortunate enough to be around decision-makers. My favorite question is 'why.' I want to know why the decisions are made."

Before returning to student life, Thompson served as a consultant to Peabody College during the tenure of the former dean, Jim Pellegrino. She has managed her own Nashville-based consulting firm, PVT Enterprises, for the past 15 years and has advised a wide range of clients in the corporate, political and non-profit sectors, including a number of education organizations.

Thompson's background -- a truly bipartisan blend -- includes having served as administrative aide to former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter, corresponding secretary for Rosalynn Carter, special projects coordinator for Hamilton Jordan, and as a campaign aide to Republican candidates in several Georgia and Tennessee races. She earned a bachelor's degree in American history and literature from the University of Georgia, where she participated for four years in the highly regarded Georgia Honors Program.

Thompson wants to strengthen links with "those who shape the laws and, therefore, shape the world outside the Beltway." Noting that all education practitioners must operate within certain parameters, she pointed out that "the headwaters for parameters are found right here -- in the city by the Potomac."

The Fellowship in National Education Policy is open to graduate students who have completed at least 30 hours of doctoral coursework and at least three hours of coursework in the politics or public policy of education/higher education. Thompson was selected from among an impressive list of more than a dozen applicants for the position. Participants receive a stipend to assist with living expenses in Washington.

The for-credit program is intended to give the participant an opportunity to directly engage policymakers and opinion leaders in the nation's capital about significant issues in national academic and higher education policy. The academic component of the fellowship is determined in consultation with the program's faculty adviser in the Peabody College, Michael K. McLendon, assistant professor of leadership and organizations.

In addition, throughout the time spent in Washington, the fellow is considered an integral part of the Federal Relations Office and will get extensive, practical experience dealing with political institutions and the people who make them run.

Schoenfeld envisions the new fellowship as becoming a model for integrating federal relations activities and education.

"The range of public policy and political issues that Vanderbilt has to address is enormous, going from health care to affirmative action to research funding to athletics," Schoenfeld said. "Our strategists in Washington will benefit from a scholarly perspective on education policy, and our students get real-world experience with Congress, the executive branch, the media and the associations. This fellowship is a winner for all concerned."