Professors as engaged policy actors

Teaching public policy can be most enriching when instructors embrace their role as policy actors. This chapter will focus on the importance of instructors being engaged in public policy efforts while teaching public policy courses. In this chapter, we will make the case for why it is important for policy instructors to be engaged in public policy and what policy engagement by instructors can bring to the classroom. The chapter will also include strategies for instructors on how to get connected and/or bring policy engagement into the classroom, as well as challenges that instructors may face in policy and classroom contexts.