UTC senior AJ Galluzzi is pursuing bachelor’s degrees in both economics and finance and is a member of the Innovations in Honors program. Photo by Angela Foster.
AJ Galluzzi is getting used to the notion that “it was meant to be.”
Last fall, Galluzzi—a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior pursuing bachelor’s degrees in both economics and finance and a member of the Innovations in Honors program—thought he had landed a coveted summer internship in Nashville.
That opportunity fell through, but—around the same period—he had also applied for a Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute (JSI) Fellowship “as a shot in the dark.”
Now, that “shot in the dark” has become a defining moment.
Galluzzi, who is set to graduate from UTC in December, has been awarded a spot in the highly competitive PPIA JSI program at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Designed to prepare undergraduates for graduate study and careers in public service, the program offers a rigorous academic experience at one of the nation’s top public policy institutions.
As one of just 24 students nationwide selected for the Michigan cohort, Galluzzi will spend seven weeks—June 8 through July 27—immersed in intensive coursework. His studies will focus on statistics, microeconomics, writing and policy analysis, equipping him with the critical skills necessary for graduate school and a future in public policy.
“AJ is the quintessential honors student,” said Dr. Trey Straussberger, director of UTC’s Office of National Scholarships. “He’s engaged in the community both in UTC and in Chattanooga. He’s passionate about making an impact on the world and he’s decided that he wants to do that through public policy—which I think shows a dedication to service that we try to instill both in the Honors College and at UTC.”
Galluzzi is the fourth UTC student in recent years to land the prestigious PPIA JSI fellowship, joining Lola Oke (2022 Princeton University cohort), Jannat Saeed (2023 Princeton) and Emma Sprayberry (2023 Carnegie Mellon University).
A 2022 graduate of Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee, Galluzzi’s path to public policy wasn’t traditional. As a business major, he had long envisioned a finance-driven career—until a single class changed his perspective.
“My passion for public policy started last spring when I took a class with Dr. (Sheena) Murray called Economics of Gender, Race and Inequality,” he recalled. “It really sparked my interest; it shifted me away from monetary policy and toward public policy.”
He said his coursework since then, including public finance, labor economics and policy-driven research papers, has continued to reinforce that shift.
Before long, he realized that was where he wanted to make an impact.
At the encouragement of Straussberger, Galluzzi applied for the PPIA fellowship—though he admitted he wasn’t sure he had a real shot.
He recalled a conversation he had with his brother, Michael—recipient of a bachelor’s degree in political science from UTC in 2022—as he was completing the application process.
“I was finishing up my application, just working on an essay, and my brother asked, ‘What are you doing?’ I told him, ‘I’m just applying. I don’t think I’m going to get in, but I just want to see what happens,’” he said. “And then I got the email and I was shocked. I was like, ‘There’s no way. I can’t believe this just happened.’
“After that, it’s just been shock and awe, just waiting for the summer to start. I’m really excited to go to Michigan.”
For more than 40 years, the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy has hosted the PPIA JSI summer program to prepare undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds for graduate study in public policy and international affairs.
“Public policy touches almost every discipline,” Straussberger explained. “How we approach economic development, how we craft policies and laws that foster small businesses or improve the economy—those are roles that students like AJ can take on.”
Beyond the academic training, PPIA fellows receive a $1,500 stipend—along with fully covered travel expenses, housing, meals, books and professional development opportunities.
The fellowship also makes graduate school more accessible, providing a $5,000 scholarship to a PPIA consortium graduate school, which—in addition to Michigan—includes Carnegie Mellon University, Princeton University, University of Minnesota, University of Washington and University of California, Berkeley.
“It’s exciting that they give me that opportunity to further my education,” Galluzzi said, “and knowing that they will assist financially is really promising.”
Though Galluzzi isn’t entirely sure where his career will take him, he believes this program will help bring some clarity.
“I wish I could tell you exactly what I want to do but I’m still figuring that out,” he said. “I think this program will give me the right nudge. It’s a great first step; it’s a hell of a first step, actually.”
While he’s still getting used to the idea of spending the summer in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he’s already starting to see signs that he’s headed in the right direction.
“I think it was meant to be,” he said. “I saw someone wearing a Michigan sweatshirt yesterday—and then today I saw someone with a Michigan hat. I was like, ‘I’ll be there soon.’”
Learn more
UTC Office of National Scholarships
Gary W. Rollins College of Business
