CORRECTION APPENDED: This column said erroneously that Gerald Ford was speaker of the House before becoming president. He was House minority leader and was then appointed vice president after Spiro Agnew resigned.

Around these parts, when people say they live on the Hill, they're probably referring to their awkwardly small dorm room in Mary Markley Hall. But there's another hill neighborhood that many Wolverines have called home - Capitol Hill. Thanks to the University's position as one of the nation's leading universities, many graduates have managed to make their mark in Washington. Now, however, there are additional specific (if unstated) requirements for going into public service that the University doesn't seem to focus enough on. The environment at the University these days isn't conducive to ensuring that the public servants of tomorrow get their start in Ann Arbor.

Wolverines have a strong presence in the capital. Though it's little known, the University has a government relations office in Washington that lobbies Congress on issues like higher education funding and intellectual property rights. The University's alumni club in D.C. is strong, active and proud. Many alumni from various academic backgrounds work in public service careers.

However, public service is equally important regardless of whether it takes place in the glamour of D.C. or anywhere else across the nation or world. Although public service careers are often unattractive because of low pay or bureaucratic red tape, working in the public interest is fulfilling. Public service changes the world and provides for a reasonably comfortable lifestyle.

This University has a long tradition of public service. Former President John F. Kennedy proposed the idea that would become the Peace Corps on the steps of the Michigan Union. Many alumni have become diplomats, esteemed civil servants or leaders in the non-profit realm. The late Gerald Ford, one of our most celebrated alumni, was the House minority leader before becoming being appointed Vice President after Spiro Agnew resigned. Make no mistake, this University's public servants are just as bad-ass as graduates from the medical school, business school and law school.

University officials recognize the importance of public service and provide some excellent programs to accommodate public service-minded students. The Public Service Intern Program - which is run by the Career Center and with which I have worked in the past - helps students learn how to get summer internships, mainly in the nation's capital. The Michigan in Washington Program, which is run by the political science department, has semester-long programs for students to study and work in the capital. Another option for students interested in public work is application to the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy's undergraduate degree program. In its first year, the program is receiving rave reviews.

Despite these excellent services, some programs are lacking. Study abroad programs, a viable first step toward a life of public service for many students, are a headache. The University's programs are relatively limited and some serious scheming is required to successfully transfer credits earned abroad. Learning other languages is another integral part of preparing for public service that is somewhat underemphasized at the University. Some languages that could be very handy for a public servant are taught in classes more unnecessarily difficult than others, and they are therefore often avoided. Besides that, the LSA language requirement structurally incentivizes the study of mainstream languages such as Spanish, French and German, allowing experienced students to finish their language requirement quickly. Thus, fewer students are motivated to learn new languages declared by the federal government to be of critical need, like Arabic, Mandarin and Farsi.

Besides difficulties studying abroad and learning foreign languages, our International Studies minor is simply not up to par compared to international relations programs at other schools. The International Studies minor is more like a degree in culture than a major in international relations, which emphasizes international politics. It is a shame that the University is denying students by not offering such a major.