What is Minnesota Excellence in Public Service?

The Minnesota Excellence in Public Service (MEPS) Series is a Fellowship and leadership program for conservative women. The goal of the annual series is to increase the knowledge, network, confidence and leadership skills of these women as they seek to increase their engagement in public service and political activities, through elected offices and key appointive positions at all levels of government, as well as through leadership roles in their careers and communities.  

The MEPS Series consists of one (1) day-long session each month, beginning in January and continuing through September. That session is typically held on the 3rd Saturday of each month, and all the confirmed dates are made available to Fellows before the Series begins each year. The program also includes a three-day conference in Washington DC to discuss national policy issues. That trip occurs in June of each year. 

The curriculum is presented by high level speakers and includes discussion of policy and issues, levels and functions of government, candidate training, campaign management training, discussion of ethics and strategy, exposure to the many roles and opportunities for leadership, as well as the ability to improve public speaking skills. Graduates of the program have gone on to serve in the Minnesota legislature, on governor-appointed boards, host talk-radio programs, run for office, manage campaigns, and grow grassroots programs. The program is funded and operated by the voluntary contributions of committed individuals, as well as organizations that choose to support the Fellows through scholarships.

The Minnesota Excellence in Public Service (MEPS) Series is associated with the national Excellence in Public Service program for conservative women, which has also been active in more than 20 other states. The national series began in 1989 when a handful of Indiana businesswomen wanted Republican women to be better represented in elected and appointed offices in all levels of government. They vowed to increase those numbers with the help of Republican Party leaders Judy Singleton, Terese Lubbers and United States Senator Richard G. Lugar to help them create the nation’s first program in Indiana.