The Students Reinventing Michigan Corporation is sponsoring its third annual public policy scholarship competition this year, in which any undergraduate students who attend a Michigan university, college or community college can submit a proposal on how to eliminate childhood obesity. This is an issue for Michigan, because as of 2012, 30 percent of children in the state between the ages of 10 and 17 are considered obese. The award winners and their mentors will receive anywhere from $100 to $10,000 in scholarship awards. Winners chosen by a bipartisan team led by state Sen. Jim Marleau, R-Lake Orion, and Rep. Gail Haines R-Waterford will present their proposals to the House and Senate Health Policy committees in the spring. Submissions should be no longer than 15 pages and are due at 5 p.m. Feb. 1, 2014.
I am currently a junior at MSU and I participated in the competition last year with a friend. Working on our proposal allowed me to delve into and research a specific policy issue that interested me, and in the process I learned about a lot of current issues and policies in our state. Participating in the competition was a great networking opportunity, and the connections I made through the process led to my current internship. It was a valuable experience that will help me as I pursue a career in public policy. Although I was unable to attend the presentation in the spring, it is truly a unique experience. When else will you get the chance as an undergraduate student to have the attention of Michigan’s Joint House and Senate Health Policy Committee and present to them your own ideas?
