What constitutes public sector experience? Public sector is defined as working for the government of the United States, a state, the District of Columbia, a territory or possession of the United States, a city, a municipality, a township, a county, a parish, or a similar government body in the United States. This includes military service and working for a public school, college, or university. The Public Service Scholarship may not be combined with any other Harris administered scholarship. Full-time public sector programs such as AmeriCorps, Teach for America, and Peace Corps count towards your eligibility for this scholarship.