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ALBANYLAW Magazine | Fall 2022

Stamp of Approval from Capitol Hill

Vilsack

SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE Tom Vilsack ’75 provided words of encouragement as his alma mater launched the newest Online Graduate Program in Government Affairs and Advocacy in February.

“This new effort embarks on providing a preparation for participation in public service and advocacy. What I am confident in is that you will be well prepared to go into government in a variety of capacities and be able to make a difference from the onset,” he said. “It’s just incredibly important.”

Vilsack also shared how his Albany Law School education has impacted his storied public service career which includes two terms as Governor of Iowa and two stints as the leader of the USDA.

“None of what Dean Alicia Ouellette outlined in her kind introduction would have been possible without Albany Law School— make no mistake about that—everything I did was founded on the great education I got and the opportunity that Albany Law School gave me to practice law," he said.

In the program, students will gain a core understanding of government affairs and procedures, as well as the advocacy and lobbying tools and strategies needed in order to have a greater impact on public policy.

This program is designed to prepare graduates to start a career in lobbying or government at the local, state, or federal level.

“There is tremendous demand for people in government service,” Vilsack said. “I’m always proud to be an alumnus of Albany Law School. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities that it provided to me in my lifetime and I look forward to seeing this new effort unfold—and to see students come to USDA to practice law.”