The Schar PhD Student Association (SPSA) is a student-run organization for all Ph.D. students in the Schar School. It provides a platform for professional and intellectual support, student-led initiatives, and opportunities for greater student interaction and collaboration. We sponsor a variety of events to help students progress through the program. Check out our events details for Fall 2024 below!
SPSA Roundtable. Sign-up for the presentation here.

- This event has passed.
April 1, 2016 @ 8:00 am - April 2, 2016 @ 5:00 pm
Building out of the APPC (Advancements in Policy and Politics Conference) APPS reached out to APPAM to create a regional student conference with our fellow consortium partners.
Participating students will gain valuable presentation experience, as well as receive important feedback from academics, practitioners, and other students. Students will have several opportunities to network and make connections with a diverse group of policy professionals, as well as other students, from the Washington, DC area.
Submissions will be accepted in the following areas:
- Crime and Drugs
- Education
- Employment and Training Programs
- Family and Child Policy
- Health Policy
- Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- Housing and Community Development
- Impact of Politics on the Policy Process
- International Development Policy
- Natural Resource Security, Energy, and Environmental Policy
- National Security and Foreign Policy
- Politics, Presidential Studies, and Election Management
- Population and Migration Issues
- Poverty and Income Policy
- Public and Nonprofit Management and Finance
- Social Equity
- Science and Technology
- Tools of Analysis
Interested students should submit an abstract of an academic paper or project to APPAM for consideration for the conference.
Submissions will open in November 2015 and acceptances will be sent in early February 2016.
Sponsoring schools include:
American University, College of William and Mary, George Mason University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, University of Maryland, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech