Mission and Purpose

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.