When I talk to people about the idea to build a Public Service Academy modeled on the military academies, I generally get positive responses. "Why don't we already have one?" people ask. "I would have loved to have gone to that kind of academy!" others (particularly young folks) will say. But sometimes I face skepticism and even hostility - usually from administrators at private colleges and universities.

"We don't need a Public Service Academy because we already have a public policy/public administration/public service program at (insert college name)" they sputter. They then list all sorts of reasons why it would be better to spend more federal money at their institutions (in the form of scholarships) rather than building a national institution.

Ah, yes, the scholarship argument. I hear it often, usually from people who have no interest in actually trying to get a scholarship program off the ground. But there are people who sincerely believe a scholarship program would better than an institution devoted to public service.

A scholarship program in and of itself is not a bad idea. But it is a timid idea, one that does not match the grand opportunity that 2008 presents. It ignores the symbolic importance of creating an institution that can raise the visibility of public service and transform how young people across the country perceive, prepare for, and pursue public service. Boldness matters. To inspire young people, an idea must be bold, exciting, different - and permanent.
 
Once established, the Academy will become the nation's flagship institution for public leadership; a locus of talent that will produce top-quality leaders for future generations. Its impact will grow over time, as alumni rise to positions of authority in public institutions around the country. Like West Point and the military academies, the Academy will become an integral part of American life, a powerful testimony to the importance of public service to the vitality and success or our nation. Even the most prestigious scholarship programs, such as the Rhodes, Truman, or Fulbright, do not carry the same cultural weight or have the same symbolic importance or cultural impact as the military academies.
 
Culture matters as well. Disparate scholarships spread among various institutions cannot instill a cohesive culture. Existing institutions have their own set of priorities and procedures; scholarship money would benefit individual students but would neither alter the overarching mission of their institutions nor give students a transformational cohort experience. The military's ROTC program is an effective supplement to its officer training at the academies, but it is precisely that: a supplement, not a substitute.
 
I invite people who truly share our goal of attracting a new generation into public service to become part of the effort to build a Public Service Academy. Visit the website and help support this grassroots movement! 

Related Columns:

The federal workforce of tomorrow
Where does government fit into Obama’s call to service?
Raising the visibility of public service
Guest Columnist: Chris Asch, U.S. Public Service Academy