01
Manage a real local campaign
For a school board, city council, ballot initiative, or state legislative race.
The Senior Year
The capstone is not a thesis. It is a year of real work.
Every senior spends the year executing one substantial democratic project in the world — and then reflects, in writing and in defense, on what they learned about strategy, outcomes, ethical challenges, stakeholders, and craft.
Practicum Options
02
Lead a nonpartisan voter registration drive
Designed, budgeted, staffed, and measured by the student team.
03
Organize a community advocacy initiative
Around a defined public problem, with real stakeholders and measurable goals.
04
Draft a policy proposal
For a city council or state legislature — with sponsors identified and a public hearing pursued.
05
Build a civic technology application
Deployed to a real user base — election data, constituent services, or public information.
06
Produce an investigative journalism project
Reported, edited, fact-checked, and published in a professional venue.
07
Design and evaluate a public education campaign
With clear objectives, an intervention design, and measurement of impact.
The Reflection
The culminating document.
The Practicum concludes with a formal reflection — presented in writing and defended orally before faculty and outside practitioners — that analyzes:
- §Strategy: what you set out to do, and why.
- §Outcomes: what actually happened, and how you measured it.
- §Ethical challenges: the hard calls, and how you made them.
- §Stakeholder engagement: who you served, and how you knew.
- §Lessons: what you would do differently, and what you now know.