Pooja Thapar

Hometown: San Jose, CA

Current City: Washington, DC

Why did you choose McCourt? I chose McCourt because I knew I would learn a lot both inside and outside of the classroom in this program. I knew I wanted a program with a strong quantitative focus and plenty of hands-on co-curricular options, which McCourt definitely offers. Additionally, the opportunity to study in the epicenter of policy has a lot of unique advantages: a faculty full of leading policy practitioners and experts in their field, internships during the school year, cutting edge research centers, robust networking opportunities, and more! McCourt, and Georgetown as a whole, definitely takes advantage of its location to provide unparalleled opportunities to its students.

What professional/ work experience did you have prior to coming to McCourt? Prior to starting at McCourt, I spent the last six years working on digital strategy with the External and Corporate relations team at the World Bank where I focused on measurement, evaluation and overall strategy for the institution’s social media channels.

What has been the best part of your experience so far? The people! It’s great to be part of a community of people with similar interests and a passion for changing the status quo. All the classmates I have met so far have super interesting backgrounds and are really thoughtful and inspiring individuals. My professors have also been very approachable, encouraging, caring, and willing to help in any way they can, both with course material and general networking/career/life advice. McCourt is a really supportive community overall and I’m glad to be part of it!

What internships have you had so far during your time at McCourt? I worked at the Beeck Center for Social Impact & Innovation during my entire first year at McCourt where I worked on projects at the intersection of technology, policy and social impact. Additionally, as a dual degree with the business school, I am an Impact Investing Fellow with the Business for Impact program at McDonough and interned at Estee Lauder in their Presidential Management Associate Summer program during summer 2023.

Student organization involvement while at McCourt: Co-President of the Women in Public Policy Initiative (WIPPI) and Managing Editor for Georgetown Public Policy Review (GPPR)

Undergraduate University, degree, and major: Santa Clara University, B.S. in Political Science

Hobbies/ Interests: I love traveling and am happiest when I’m walking through a new city with a coffee in my hand. I am also a huge foodie and love trying new restaurants and recipes! I also enjoy playing tennis, reading, and writing.