RAPPAPORT CENTER FOR LAW AND PUBLIC SERVICE : PARTNERS

Suffolk University has an outstanding record of producing graduates who engage in public policy work in legislatures, courthouses, and city and town halls across New England. In Massachusetts alone, two Congressmen, nearly 40 state lawmakers and over 100 state judges are among Suffolk’s proud alumni. To promote emerging leaders, engage public officials, and encourage bright young legal scholars to consider careers in public policy, it makes sense that the Rappaport Foundation partner with Suffolk to achieve this mutual goal.

After six years, the prestige of the Rappaport Honors program is evident by the highly competitive selection process, its generous stipend, and the lasting relationships made between the Fellows, the faculty, the mentors, and the professionals at the placing agencies.

A unique partnership for a unique program—that is how Robert H. Smith, Dean of Suffolk University Law School describes the special relationship the law school has with the Jerome Lyle Rappaport Charitable Foundation. "The Rappaport Foundation does so much more than provide financial support," says Dean Smith. "They are engaged partners at every step of the program. Their strong standing in the community, particularly the public service arena, helps open doors to important civic relationships. They work closely with our faculty and program managers to identifying public policy pressure points. And they continuously look for ways to improve the program each and every year. We could not have found a better partner for this important program."

The Foundation agrees. "While an obvious strength of this unique program is the involvement of all six Boston-area law schools," says Phyllis Rappaport, chair of the Rappaport Charitable Foundation. “Suffolk University Law School is the ideal home for the Rappaport Honors Program. Suffolk Law School has a long and impressive history of producing civic leaders in New England. Their commitment to public service is exemplary, and it’s a commitment that permeates the success of the Rappaport Honors program."

The Jerome Lyle Rappaport Charitable Foundation sponsors the work of new and emerging leaders to increase this region’s capacity for generating effective public policy solutions, breakthroughs for neurologic and mental illnesses, and world-class art.

Harvard University’s Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston is devoted to developing effective leaders who will improve the quality of life in greater Boston. The Institute runs the highly successful Rappaport Institute Public Policy Summer Fellowships. These fellowships offer 12 graduate students paid, 10-week summer internships in key state and local agencies in the Greater Boston area. Fellows from this program and law students from Suffolk University’s Rappaport Fellows Program in Law and Public Policy also participate in a weekly seminar series with leading practitioners and scholars.

Through the vision and generosity of Jerome Lyle Rappaport, leaders from all levels of government have been able to benefit from the Rappaport Urban Fellowships to the Mid-Career Master in Public Administration Program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and from the critical resources that Harvard University’s Rappaport Institute provides including: people, research, forums, information and training.