Martu aspires to apply to law programs and master's programs in public policy.

An international student from Liberia, Martu attended the Junior Summer Institute (JSI) at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance through the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) program. She was inspired to pursue the program by classmate and friend Phidor Kong’s eye-opening JSI experience. Martu has spent much of her Beloit time focusing on environmental activism and social justice.

PPIA’s rigorous Junior Summer Institute selects a cohort of ambitious students to attend a participating university for seven weeks the summer before their senior year of college. Each 20-student cohort lives on campus and learns about domestic and international affairs, preparing them for a master’s or doctorate in public policy. JSI’s rotating roster of participating universities often waive application fees and offer large or full-ride scholarships to help JSI graduates afford their studies. PPIA aims to address the lack of gender and racial diversity in the public affairs sector, paying for students’ tuition, meals, housing, and transportation, and providing a stipend during their summer experience. In their applications, students rank their top three schools, and receive an offer from one.

Martu Kollie’24 applied her studies in environmental justice and human rights at the University of Washington's Junior Summer Institute.

“It was a crazy application process,” Martu says. While applying, she was at the Washington Semester Program at American University in D.C., taking three courses and an internship. Although it was hard to juggle her classes while applying to JSI, her schedule was flexible enough to enjoy the most out of the study away experience in D.C. and her summer in Washington state.

The JSI process is intensive, requiring multiple essays, a personal statement, and recommendation letters, in addition to a high GPA and competitive experiences related to public policy.

Taking courses in economics, quantitative methods, policy analysis, and contemporary global issues, Martu expanded on her Beloit studies in environmental justice and migrants’ rights. Her capstone project at JSI focused on another topic close to her heart: international development. She and her three partners analyzed the U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act, which she asserts is “not robust, not universal, and comes with stigma.” Through research and interviews conducted while in Seattle, she and her team assessed barriers to accessibility, productivity, and implementation, and proposed a federal incremental leave program based on time worked. It was also an important thing to think about while preparing to enter the workforce, she says.

“There are lots of nuances playing into policy making,” she says, having gained some experience lobbying the state capitol last year.

JSI opened Martu’s eyes to the interplay of public policy and other subjects. Now, she’s broadened her post-Beloit search to law programs as well as a master’s in public policy. (One of her top choices, UC Berkeley, offers both.) After becoming close with her project partners, she loved the experience of getting out into the city during her down time from courses, including visiting a local food bank and tourist sites around Seattle.

Martu's JSI cohort exploring Seattle.

“My favorite part of JSI was the community — people and support from the program staff. My cohort mates were so welcoming and caring. It felt like I had known them forever. Our program manager was also supportive and provided us with all the resources we needed throughout the program,” Martu says.

Martu’s Beloit and Beyond presentation slideshow ended with smiling faces, showing how far she’d come — literally and metaphorically.

“[My experience] is testament to the JSI’s instrumental role in shaping future leaders,” she says. “It reinforces the program’s significance for students aspiring to leave a mark in the international relations and public policy field.”