Georgetown introduces U.S. and international undergrads to careers in public policy

Each year, the Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA) hosts a variety of free, in-person conferences for undergraduate students across the United States. PPIA programming includes Public Service Weekends , which provide aspiring changemakers with a comprehensive introduction to the diverse career opportunities available in public service and international affairs. For more than 40 years, PPIA has been committed to increasing diversity in graduate studies in public policy, international affairs and public service.

In September 2024, the McCourt School of Public Policy and the School of Foreign Service (SFS) jointly hosted a PPIA Public Service Weekend focused on “Building Inclusion for Excellence.” The event brought together 32 undergraduate participants from institutions across the U.S. and abroad, with students traveling from Texas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, California, New York and the United Kingdom. Notably, 53% of participants identified as first-generation college students. Throughout the weekend, attendees had the opportunity to explore careers in public policy and international affairs, engaging in activities and discussions on Georgetown University’s Hilltop and Capitol Campuses.

The weekend opened with a Hilltop Campus tour led by current SFS students, followed by a welcome from Joel Hellman, dean of the School of Foreign Service, and Jason McKnight, associate dean of student affairs at the McCourt School. The opening session, “Connecting Purpose to Action,” was delivered by Daphne Jefferson, a McCourt adjunct professor and executive coach.

On the second day, McCourt faculty members Wesley Joe and Nuku Ofori led a lecture and case study discussion, followed by an alumni panel and a networking lunch at the McCourt School’s new building in downtown DC .

The afternoon featured a public narrative exercise facilitated by Michael Paniagua, PPIA operations and program manager, and a career planning workshop led by Briana Green, senior director of career development and alumni engagement at McCourt. Zaid A. Zaid, current head of U.S. public policy at Cloudflare and former head of North America for strategic response policy at Meta, shared insights on public service in international affairs during a keynote address.

The final day focused on professional development, including professional headshots and sessions on negotiation strategies and graduate school admissions, led by Rachel Milner Gillers, associate professor at McCourt and director of the Georgetown Conflict Transformation Lab, and Paniagua, respectively.

“It was wonderful to see such impressive and engaged young people attend our Public Service Weekend, most of whom traveled from all over the country to join us in DC,” reflected Trish Makovsky, assistant director of admissions at McCourt. “I am thrilled that so many of them are interested in becoming public service leaders and that Georgetown may play a small part in their journey to making a difference.”