Each year, the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs awards the Franko-Maisel Prize for Public Policy, which recognizes an outstanding Colby senior who has demonstrated a commitment to public affairs and plans to pursue a career related to public policy.
The prize – a $5,000 cash award – is determined by a committee of Goldfarb Center staff and faculty who have been engaged in public affairs. The award is based on an application that showcases a student’s public affairs engagement while at Colby, plans for the future, and how this award will impact the student’s ability to fulfill those plans. It is meant to be a bridge to help a student who needs assistance post-graduation to jumpstart their career in public policy.
The Franko-Maisel Prize is possible because of a generous gift from Patrice Franko, the Grossman Professor of Economics and Professor of Global Studies, and the late Sandy Maisel, Goldfarb Family Distinguished Professor of American Government.
Professor Maisel was the founding director of the Goldfarb Center and served as its executive director from 2003-2011. Professor Franko directed the Goldfarb Center from 2016-2019. The gift is further testament to their decades of commitment to public affairs programming and Colby students.
Seniors should self-nominate by submitting applications to [email protected] by Sunday, March 30, 2025 at 11:59pm. Be sure to include your name, major(s), contact information – including your Colby ID # – a copy of your CV or resume, and a list of any student awards previously received and/or for which you know yourself to have been nominated during the current spring semester.
Please submit your application as a Word document or pdf. All seniors are qualified to apply. Note that the cash award is reportable income and potentially taxable. The Goldfarb Center will announce the award winner at the Colby Student Award ceremony on May 6, 2025.
Apply by answering the following essay questions. Answers to essay questions should not be more than 500 words each.
1. What does public affairs mean to you and how have you demonstrated a commitment to public affairs during your time at Colby both on and off campus?
2. Explain the career goals you hope to achieve and how they relate to public policy. What are your plans after graduation?
3. How will this funding help you accomplish your immediate career goals? If you win, how will you spend the money?
The Goldfarb Center extends its hearty congratulations to Dev Purohit ’25, winner of the 2025 Franko-Maisel Prize for Public Policy. Already a seasoned public servant, with stints in the New York City’s Mayor’s Office and U.S. House of Representatives under his belt, Dev will use the Franko-Maisel prize to take the next steps with an anticipated lifelong commitment to a career in government and public service.
Dev’s Colby peers know him as Co-President of the Mock Trial Team, SGA Student Body Treasurer, and a capable interlocutor at the Goldfarb Center’s In The News series. The Goldfarb Center knows him as a Sandy Maisel fellow and individual with an unwavering commitment to community service and policy advocacy. In all of these roles Dev has shown tremendous leadership, heart, and skill. We can’t wait to see how the communities he plans to serve will benefit from his tremendous gifts and dedication.
Read about each of the Franko-Maisel Public Policy Prize winners and their plans for their future in the field of public policy.
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