The mission of the John S. Watson School of Public Service is to serve higher education and the public interest as a school of innovation, information and policy formulation; to support informed public policy and to strengthen leadership in local, county/regional and state government, the nonprofit and private sectors; to provide applied research, technical assistance, program development and policy analysis; and to strengthen the capacity of people and organizations providing services in the public interest.

This mission is inspired by Thomas Edison State University’s mission of providing flexible, high-quality collegiate learning opportunities for self-directed adults, and grounded in the University’s mission to fulfill the public service obligation inherent to American institutions of higher education.

Goals and Objectives

The John S. Watson School for Public Service will prepare professionals for leadership roles in a wide variety of public service-related settings including government agencies at the local, regional and state levels; educational institutions providing services to youth, families and communities; health, human and social service agencies; and nonprofit, community and faith-based organizations.

The Watson School shall affect its mission by:

• Reframing public service education and preparation
• Transforming theory and practice related to quality provision of services to the public
• Preparing skilled professionals in the public service professions and related fields to contribute effectively to the delivery of public services
• Developing model programs, through the John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy, for direct delivery to the public service sector
• Providing state-of-the-art blended learning opportunities and programs for adult learners in public service related professions
• Collaborating with the other schools within Thomas Edison State University to provide a rigorous and interdisciplinary course of study
• Identifying and developing leaders within the public service professions