Domestic: Penn Policy Consulting Group has continued to remain at the forefront of political discussions, research, and advocacy regarding some of the most critical social issues since its foundation in 2017. PPC has scheduled one-on-one interviews and attended policy meetings with 4 US Senators, 7 representatives, and numerous Congressional staffers. PPC organizes 1-2 Congressional events every semester and has led more than 100 policy meetings with pertinent Congressional staffers. In addition, PPC has developed close working relationships with Philadelphia city government officials, presenting their research to City Councilmembers and other local leaders and working alongside local thought leaders to formulate effective policy change. 

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Multilateral Institutions and the UN: PPC is proud to serve as one of the few student organizations that engages and enriches the policy discourse within the UN body. The group has robust working relationships with key Permanent Missions to the UN, Secretariat, and UN agencies since successfully launching its first multilateral project in 2018. PPC has completed 15 UN briefings and interviews with 6 Ambassadors and 9 Counselors representing the top Permanent Missions (Embassies) of France, Germany, Belgium, South Korea, European Union, Japan, Brazil, Italy, Argentina, Switzerland, and Bulgaria.

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Partnerships: PPC enjoys vibrant and productive relationships with some of the top CSOs and NGOs in Washington D.C. and New York. To name a few, we have worked with staff members at Freedom House, UNFPA, UNICEF-USA, UNICEF, Hyundai Motor America, and American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). The entrepreneurial spirit behind our pursuits allows us to expand our policy reach and engage with key stakeholders in a wide spectrum of topics every semester.

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A small sampling of our policy work and successes includes:

• Spring and Fall 2017: PPC discussed the issue of CDC Funding for Hepatitis B and C that afflict millions of Asian and African Americans

• Fall 2018: PPC Hopkins Chapter raised awareness of possible solutions to the issue of the United States’ massive incarcerated population, the largest in the world.

• Fall 2018: PPC pressed for the re-authorization of the Children’s Healthcare Insurance Program (CHIP), an essential program responsible delivering healthcare to millions of children from low-income and middle class families. PPC also worked with  Association of American Airport Executives (AAAE) to present research on PFC taxes and policy avenues that can improve airport infrastructure funding in Philadelphia.

• Spring 2018: PPC presented its research case on U.S. Strategy in the Middle East (and support for the Iran Nuclear Deal) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

• Fall 2018: PPC worked with UNICEF & UNFPA staff members to present research supporting the protection of the US funding to the UN. The group later coordinated an event at the UN Headquarters in which our staff briefed Ambassadors and Counselors from 15 nations, including France, Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, EU, Argentina, Austria, Croatia, Switzerland, Poland, South Korea, Brazil, Japan, Canada, and Italy. The briefing covered case studies and policy recommendations on better safeguarding international religious freedom and deterring faith-based global conflicts.

• Spring 2019: PPC presented briefings and policy recommendations to combat environmental racism and climate change at Capitol Hill. In the same Hill event, the group also advocated for improvements in deteriorating national infrastructure as well as adherence to the international nuclear deterrence agreements. PPC has also been hard at work on an advanced report on the role of education in the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) framework, which will be published and presented at the UN this fall. 

• Fall 2019: PPC presented their advanced report on the role of education in the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) framework to key UN organizations and missions, including South Korea's UN Ambassador. In addition, the group prepared and present a report on the pervasiveness of lead poisoning in the Philadelphia area, advocating for stricter lead regulation in the city. As a result, they are now working with Penn professors and City Councilmembers to work on formulating a bill to bring to the floor.

• Spring 2022: PPC presented detailed drug decriminalization briefings to Senator Bob Casey's staff. The group also spent a day at Prevention Point Philadelphia, a nonprofit public health organization providing harm reduction services to thousands of Philadelphian residents yearly. They discussed community issues, local and state drug legislation and toured the facilities.

• Fall 2023: PPC signed a long-term strategic partnership with the Philadelphia City Board of Education. The group conducted an exhaustive board policy audit, led a detailed Quarterly School Manager Report (QSMR) trend analysis, and helped regularly with legislative tracking and issue briefing.

• Spring 2024: PPC secured a competitive bid with the Department of State's Diplomacy Lab to tackle the project "Assessing Outcomes of 'From Scratch' Smart and Mega City Initiatives" in partnership with the Office of the Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State (STAS). In the first week of May, the team traveled to D.C. to present the findings to State Department officials involved with the project and other relevant stakeholders in the Smart City space, including individuals from the Department of Commerce, Treasury and the private sector.

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Dignitaries and representatives with whom PPC has had one-on-one policy meetings or interviews include:  

Senate

• Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) - Former Ranking Member, Committee on Foreign Relations

• Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) - Chair, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

• Senator Bob Casey (D-PA)

• Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) - Vice Chair, Armed Services Committee

 

House

• Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) - Former Ranking Member, Intelligence Committee

• Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) - Vice Chair, Judiciary Committee

• Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA)

• Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA)

• Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY)

• Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY)

• Rep. Robert Brady (D-PA)

 

Ambassadors to the US

• European Union Ambassador O'Sullivan

• Switzerland Ambassador Dahinden

 

Ambassadors to the UN​​​​​​​​

• South Korea Ambassador Cho

• Croatia Ambassador Dogan

• Bulgaria Ambassador Panayotov

• Brazil Ambassador Vieira

• Argentinian Deputy Ambassador Verdier

• Belgium Deputy Ambassador