Princeton Project 55

Princeton Project 55 (PP55) is an American nonprofit organization established in 1989 by members of the Class of 1955 at Princeton University to mobilize alumni and students, and others who share their concerns, to provide civic leadership and to develop and implement solutions to systemic problems that affect the public interest. Princeton Project 55 is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

The project works through a variety of approaches including matching recent graduates with year-long fellowships in public-service organizations, providing mentors and professional development; supporting alumni from other universities engaged in similar initiatives; and collaborating with on-campus programs to raise the profile of civic engagement among current undergraduates.

History

Princeton Project 55 was founded in 1989 by the Princeton Class of 1955 and their spouses. So far, Princeton Project 55's Fellowship Programs have placed more than 1,100 students and recent Princeton graduates in paid fellowships and internship programs around the country. More than 20 other colleges and universities have developed similar programs based on the Princeton Project 55 model and are supported by the project's outreach initiative, "The Alumni Network".

Princeton Project 55 is a multigenerational organization led by a Board of Directors consisting of Princeton alumni in classes ranging from 1955 to 2002.

Public Interest Program

Project 55's flagship initiative, the Public Interest Program, engages recent Princeton graduates by placing them in yearlong fellowships across the country. Fellowships are primarily located in six locations: New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Connecticut, and Washington, DC. In each location, an all volunteer area committee exposes fellows to various issues in their community through regular seminars. The area committee also works to develop an ethos of civic leadership by providing opportunities for professional development and access to a network of mentors.

Princeton Project 55's Public Interest Program provides recent graduates with experiences in a wide range of fields through year-long paid fellowships. Possible fields for fellowships include community development, education, employment and welfare, environmental issues, advocacy, health and medicine, housing, women's issues, and youth services. Through their work, Project 55 fellows contribute directly to the participating organization's mission.

External links

• http://www.project55.org/
• Fuchs, Marek "Princeton Class of '55 Wants Graduates to Change World", The New York Times. June 15, 2005. Retrieved September 2, 2015.