Georgetown Public Policy Challenge announces 5 finalists after historic application surge
The McCourt School of Public Policy’s annual competition received more than 50 team applications, proposing innovative policy solutions to some of DC’s most pressing challenges, from education inequality and public health to emergency preparedness.
Each year, Georgetown graduate students of all backgrounds and academic disciplines develop innovative policy solutions to issues in the Washington, DC, region. The annual Georgetown Public Policy Challenge , which celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2024, is hosted by the McCourt School of Public Policy and has led to student-led engagement on an extensive range of policy issues across the District of Columbia, including opioid reversal medication and the role of barbershops in improving heart health .
This year, the Policy Challenge received record-breaking interest from across the University. More than 50 team applications were submitted, representing every graduate school at Georgetown. Proposals and first-round presentations were evaluated by a panel of Georgetown faculty and staff, former Policy Challenge winners and local government and nonprofit leaders working on issues that directly impact the DC community. The panel then selected five teams to advance to the final round.
McCourt School alumni, nonprofit leaders and local government representatives will judge the live final-round presentations at 5:15 pm on Friday, April 11, at the McCourt School of Public Policy on Georgetown’s Capitol Campus. A reception will be held in the Capitol View Convening Space following the event. All five finalist teams will receive a $1,500 scholarship prize, and the winning team will receive a total scholarship prize of $3,000.
You may email questions about the event to publicpolicychallenge@georgetown.edu.
2025 Georgetown Public Policy Challenge Finalists
A.C.C.E.S.S. DC
A proposal to introduce accessible emergency preparedness guides designed for individuals with disabilities in DC Public Schools.
Team members: Nina Bachich (MPP’26), Ethan Bose (MPP’26) and Demi Tomasides (MPP’26)
Empower Immigrant Parents to Improve their Children’s Success
A proposal to create a support system to aid immigrant parents as they navigate the American education system and support their children’s success.
Team members: Nicholas Fisch (MBA’26), Walwala Bashir (MIDP’26), Shriya Matta (G’26) and Yani Zhang (G’27)
Curbing Diabetes at the Curbside
A proposal to provide free diabetes screenings and education in DC Wards 7 and 8 through mobile produce trucks to improve early detection and prevention.
Team members: Jeya Anandakumar (M’26), Emily Chen (M’26), Kaylin Camidge (M’26), Jacqueline Sandling (M’26) and Umayr Shaikh (M’26)
Nourish to Flourish
A proposal to develop a virtual culinary medicine program that seeks to improve chronic disease health outcomes for DC’s underserved.
Team members: Katherine Burbank (M’26) and Kelsey Lyons (M’26)
Truancy to Opportunity
A proposal to establish an incentive-based pipeline that builds upon existing policy frameworks in DC to target truancy and youth crime.
Team members: Vinuri Dissanayake (MPP’25), Abril Hunter (MPP’25) and Filip Kulakov (MPP’25)