What is the COMPAS Project?

The COMPAS Project is a three-phased initiative designed to address the need to build a solid foundation for multicultural leadership for the 21st Century. The COMPAS Project is coordinated by a multi-ethnic volunteer steering committee, many of whom are alumni of the Sloan, Woodrow Wilson, and Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship Programs from 1980-1999, and counseled by a special Advisory Board. 

Funding for the COMPAS Project and the conference is made possible through assistance from the Academy for Educational Development's Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellowship Program through a grant from the Ford Foundation.

What Does COMPAS Stand For?

Used in China as early as 1100 AD, the compass for generations has been an essential tool in allowing individuals to orient themselves and chart a direction. Through a series of interrelated activities the COMPAS Project seeks to:

Chart a course and outline the steps necessary towards the creation of an active and sustainable network of minority policy professionals and students in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Orient students of color to the payoffs, problems, and possibilities of an education and career in public policy and international affairs.

Mobilize policy professionals and students along the East Coast who believe in the importance of community and public service.

Prepare future leaders for the challenges of a multicultural America in the 21st Century.

Assemble emerging leaders from the private, public, and non-profit sectors to discuss critical policy issues of concern to communities of color.

Strengthen the overall ties among policy professionals and students of color across the nation.
 
 

How Does the Project Work?

In light of the importance of building a strong foundation for leadership in a multicultural society, the COMPAS Steering Committee concluded that any one single conference or event, in isolation, would be insufficient in meeting any meaningful objectives. Therefore, instead of convening a single event, the steering committee has carefully designed a project consisting of three main inter-related components:

 
Phase I - Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference
Hosted by Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs in New York, New York, the all-day conference will be held on Saturday, October 14th, 2000. Entitled Power & Influence in Public Policy: Building Multicultural Leadership the conference is designed to engage the participants in a thoughtful discussion of pressing policy and international affairs issues of concern to communities of color across the region. 
 

Phase II - Mid-Atlantic Regional Retreat
Scheduled to be held on Saturday, October 28th, 2000 the Eastern Regional Retreat will be held in Washington DC and is designed to build on the ideas discussed at the conference. The Retreat will engage participants in a facilitated dialogue designed at determining on the steps and strategies necessary for the formalization of an active professional national network for public policy professionals of color. 
 

Phase III - Virtual Summits 
Convened through a series of conference calls and internet discussion tools three Virtual Summits will be held after the conclusion of the conference and retreat to communicate the outcomes of the two events to other interested parties in other regions across the U.S. To foster active communication from interested individuals across the country, summaries of the virtual summit proceedings will be accessible via the Internet at the COMPAS Project website.

The COMPAS Project is designed to build upon the work begun at the 1996 and 1998 Coalition of Minority Policy Professionals' (CoMPP) National Conferences and the 1997 and 1999 AED PPIA National Conference. Members of the COMPAS Project Steering Committee includes key players involved in organizing and planning the 1996 CoMPP National Conference, 1998 CoMPP National Conference, and the Alumni Caucus at the 1999 AED PPIA National Conference.

Why is There a Need for the COMPAS Project?

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that by 2030, the African American population will grow by 40 percent, the Hispanic American population by 112 percent, and the Asian American population by 127 percent. In this dramatically different multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society, responsibility for accountable and legitimate leadership will rest on the shoulders of an extremely diverse group of Americans. Since 1981, the Sloan, Woodrow Wilson, and PPIA fellowships have helped to prepare over 3,000 people of color for both domestic and international policy careers. The COMPAS Project seeks to unite Sloan, Woodrow Wilson, and PPIA alumni along with other policy professionals concerned about ensuring that the next generation of leaders are equipped with the skills and strategies needed to successfully address the challenges of the multicultural America of the 21st Century.

How Do I Get Involved?

For more information about the COMPAS Project, to find out more about upcoming events and related activities, or how you or can get involved in the COMPAS Project please send an email to the COMPAS Coordinating Committee @ compas_project@excite.com

For further background information on the COMPAS Project, please view an abbreviated copy of our original proposal.