Joseph and Farima Czyzyk DC Scholars Program
2023 Czyzyk DC Scholars Program
The Pepperdine School of Public Policy Joseph and Farima Czyzyk DC Scholars Program explores topics typically untouched by Washington, DC-based policy studies programs, pushing its participants to better understand the vital interconnection between culture, history, and public policy.
The program will offer two, 3-unit graduate-level courses eligible for exclusive full-tuition scholarships, where accepted scholars will learn from top policy academics and practitioners. Each four-week seminar will accommodate only 20 qualified scholars, hosted at Pepperdine's Washington, DC Foggy Bottom campus (2011 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW) with class sessions meeting Tuesday/Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings in June (first session) and July (second session).
Applicants may apply for just one session or both (note: if applying to both sessions, acceptance to one session does not guarantee acceptance to the other; admissions decisions are made separately and independently for each session). Course descriptions can be found below.
Upon completion of the program, scholars will receive an applied religion in public policy certificate of completion (for session one) and/or an applied philosophy in education policy certificate of completion (for session two) from the School of Public Policy. Credits may be used toward future enrollment at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy for a master of public policy degree.
The application period closed on April 10, 2023.
2023 Sessions and Dates
Who is Eligible?
Application is open to rising undergrad juniors and seniors, plus recent college grads who are considering graduate school.
Tuition:
Only 20 qualified scholars will be selected for each session. All selected scholars will be awarded full-tuition scholars for this 3-credit class. Scholars will not receive any additional financial aid or support for their participation in the program. Pepperdine University nor the School of Public Policy are responsible for funding/finding/providing housing while scholars attend the program, funding/providing/arranging transportation to and from Washington, DC, nor any other expenses related to enrollment in the program.
Joe and Farima Czyzyk
Joseph A. Czyzyk, as chairman & CEO of Mercury Air Group, Inc., is credited with transforming the 66-year-old company into a global aviation leader in the aviation and US government service sectors. He is chair of the Board of Advisors of the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy as well as a Pepperdine University Board member. He is the former chair of the US VETS and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as the former president of City and State Commissions. In addition, Czyzyk is a decorated US veteran, having served with the US Navy Seabees (1966–1969) in the US and the Republic of Vietnam. Czyzyk and his wife, Farima, are the parents of four adult children and have two grandchildren.
Joe’s vision for a larger DC presence for the policy school goes back over a decade. In 2011, Joe and Ed Feulner, then Chair of the Board of Advisors, walked out of lunch in DC and talked about having a location for Pepperdine’s public policy program in the nation’s capital. It’s been Joe’s passion to see Pepperdine in DC ever since.