Our mission

The O’Neill School of Public and Environment Affairs works to build a better world by stewarding the development of equitable and inclusive societies, democratic governance, and a healthy, sustainable environment. With partners across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, we pursue education, scholarship, and civic engagement at the crossroads of policy, science, and management. We give our students the knowledge and skills to have a significant impact in diverse settings around the globe.

O’Neill faculty, students, and staff together achieve globally recognized breakthroughs in public affairs and environmental sciences and translate discoveries into solutions that expand and deepen human, societal, and environmental well-being.

We will realize our vision through the following goals:

1. Catalyze research that drives solutions to the world’s most pressing societal and environmental problems
2. Provide innovative education and leadership preparation
3. Advance diversity, equity, and inclusion
4. Foster a welcoming, connected, and engaged school
5. Pursue strategic investment to support our vision

These goals are interconnected, each contributing to and depending on the others. The first four goals define the distinctive ways in which we pursue education, research, and service. They form the essential condition not only for O’Neill’s success as the school we wish to be but also for the healthy, thriving society in which we want to live. The final goal focuses on resources needed to move forward these goals.