What We Do 

The Wilder School's Center for Public Policy (CPP) brings together dedicated experts from virtually every facet of governance to guide critical programmatic, business and policy decisions. For nearly three decades, the CPP has been a sought-after resource for what works in policy and practice, producing customized, cost-effective solutions for long-term impact. 

The CPP offers services in leadership development, capacity building, survey insights, program evaluation, and economic and policy impact analysis on every conceivable issue of public policy. Center faculty are nationally renowned experts in their fields and include elected fellows as well as leaders of national boards and associations.

The academic home of the CPP is the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. Located just blocks from the from the Virginia Capitol and a two-hour drive from the nation’s capital, the Wilder School offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees in criminal justice, homeland security and emergency preparedness, public administration, public policy and administration, and urban and regional studies and planning, plus graduate certificates in related fields. The Wilder School ranks among the top 50 of the nation's best graduate public affairs programs—moving up 12 places to No. 44 in the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings. Wilder programs are guided by an interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving with an emphasis on the critical values of social equity, inclusion and sustainability in public policy practice.

CPP Research on Immigration

The CPP is rooted in a multidisciplinary approach that is designed to be responsive to the complexity of real-world problems. Recent projects undertaken by CPP staff reflect a commitment to conducting programming and research that provides policymakers and the public with objective information about immigration policy, and the ways in which immigrants live and work in our community. Highlights of this work include:

Charting Public Opinion on Migration

Recent Wilder School Public Policy Polls, conducted by the CPP, have explored immigrant sentiments among Virginians. These polls provide policymakers with insights on opinion throughout the commonwealth, complementing the input they receive from their own constituents. Immigration-related questions have surveyed participants on their opinions about the role of local in enforce federal immigration laws, support for taking in refugees from Syria and other majority-Muslim countries after screening for security risks, and the extent to which they believe these refugees would be welcomed by residents in their communities. Results were disseminated to the public through the media, as well as with policymakers in the General Assembly and state government, allowing them to use our data as they consider legislation.

Muslim Integration in the Europe and North America

Are there fundamental differences between American and European societies that affect Muslim immigrants’ conception of citizenship? Salta Liebert, Ph.D., an associate professor of public administration, and Mona Siddiqui, J.D., a doctoral candidate in public policy and administration at the Wilder School, are embarking on a study to find out. Their inquiry, entitled “Integration of Muslim Immigrants in Europe and North America: A Transatlantic Comparison,” examines the factors facilitating and impeding the integration of Muslim immigrants in France, the Netherlands, the United States, and Canada. Liebert is working on a concurrent study with David Webber, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Wilder School’s Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness program. Their project explores religiosity among Muslim immigrants in the U.S. with a specific focus on Kyrgyz migrants in Chicago.

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The Role of Nonprofits in Refugee Resettlement

Brittany Keegan, Ph.D., research coordinator at the CPP, studies the resettlement and integration processes of refugees. Keegan interviewed refugees and nonprofit service providers for her recently completed dissertation, which examined the role of nonprofits in promoting refugee integration. Her study explored the ways in which refugee clients interact with nonprofit service providers, identified service delivery gaps, and highlighted ways in which nonprofits are effective in serving refugee clients as well as potential areas of improvement.

To learn more, contact Robyn McDougle, Ph.D., CPP director, at rmcdougle@vcu.edu or at (804) 828-2759.