Ways to Engage

Institute for Public Policy & Leadership

The Institute for Public Policy and Leadership (IPPL) at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus was established in 2006 to conduct non-partisan research, discussion, training and education on public policy, administration, leadership and civic engagement in support of the needs of the citizens and governmental agencies of Sarasota and Manatee counties.

The current mission of IPPL is to engage the preeminent academic resources of the University of South Florida as well as local, national and global experts to guide a dynamic exchange of ideas about policy and leadership issues. IPPL has hosted lecture series, policy forums, seminars and workshops to stimulate meaningful discussion and promote civic discourse in our community.

In 2023, the Board of Trustees for the University of South Florida assigned the duties of the Office of Public Policy Events (OPPE) to the Institute for Public Policy and Leadership in accordance with a new state law requiring the establishment of an OPPE at each member institution of the State University System in Florida.  The Institute is led by Casey Welch as Executive Director and who was also designated as the Director of Public Policy Events at USF in accordance with Florida Statutes.  Please follow this link for more information on the Office of Public Policy Event at USF.

Through the Institute's collaboration with the School of Public Affairs we recruit and evaluate USF students for the school's undergraduate public policy internship programs as follows:

  • Legislative Internship Program
  • Tallahassee Internship Program
  • USF in D.C. Program
  • Washington Center Internship Program

These programs provide a place where students can acquire the skills and knowledge to become informed citizens while working with government entities. Please click here for further details on the public policy internship programs at USF.

For more information about the Institute for Public Policy and Leadership please contact us at InstitutePublicPolicyLeadership@usf.edu or 941-359-4572.

Disclaimer: The Institute for Public Policy and Leadership is a nonpartisan civic engagement institute that works to increase the understanding of public policy issues and government institutions through public programming, experiential learning and research. The IPPL does not endorse candidates or take stances on public policy issues.