On Monday, March 31, Georgetown community members gathered to hear a conversation between Max Stier, President and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, and GU Politics Executive Director Mo Elleithee on the current state of government and public service and how to navigate concerns about internship and job opportunities and the long-term impact of current political tensions.
Stier and Elleithee discussed the erosion of trust in government over the years and how to rebuild it. Elleithee pointed out that historically there has been discussion about reforming the federal workforce, even as that erosion in trust has developed.
“If you look at the master brand of the federal government, trust is very low,” Stier said. “But if you break it out into the sub components of government, that trust number goes up quite a bit. So much of this is again about trying to help people put the face on that faceless ‘bureaucrat.’”
Stier said he is worried about the present damage being done to civil service institutions by the Trump administration and feels that poses a greater threat to the government workforce than lack of interest or talent. Students asked Stier questions about the effects of cuts to government agencies on the American public and on careers in public service.
“If you all are committed to seeing the generation after you come up interested in public service, make that a priority for yourself,” Stier said. “Make that something that you engage with, share your story, talk to the people that you know in your networks, and do it individually, and think about what other collective action might be possible in terms of what you can do.”
Stier advised students to look broadly in their career paths, be adaptable, and recognize that the path to making a difference isn’t always linear. Stier said the three most important things to look for in a job are a sense of purpose or passion, an environment with great people, and getting real responsibility.
This is a long, long term battle we’re talking about,” he said. “And so we have to look after ourselves. You can’t help others if you haven’t taken care of yourself first.”
