Proposals for Improving DC Social Policies to be Presented by Georgetown Students 

WHAT: 

Students from the Policy Innovation Lab at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy will present ideas to improve some of the District of Columbia’s signature social policies at the program’s annual showcase. The Lab partners with an array of DC stakeholders from elected officials to non-profits to corporate entities to local activists. 

The open house event will feature projects addressing opportunity gaps in K-12 education; developing workforce programs for adults emerging from the criminal justice system; identifying affordable housing and displacement trends; evaluating farmers markets for their impact on food security; investigating the importance of equitable development and local microfinancing to reduce gun violence; uncovering economic disparities and inequity in traffic fines; assessing workforce development efforts for low-income residents; examining best practices for Neighborhood Advisory Commissions engagement mechanisms, and exploring economic justice through cash assistance programs. 

The Policy Innovation Lab provides McCourt School graduate students with practical governing experience grounded in equitable policymaking in Wards 7 and 8 of Washington, DC, the most marginalized wards that experience historical inequity, oppression and structural racism. Lab members, composed of select McCourt graduate students who have applied and participate in a multi-year voluntary program, acquire the skills to understand and partner with community actors and to engage in policy research, qualitative data collection and analysis, storytelling, implementation evaluation, power-sharing and advocacy that advances the Lab’s vision and mission. 

WHO: 

• Maria Cancian, dean of the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University
• Jasmine Tyler, executive director of the Policy Innovation Lab; associate teaching professor of the practice, McCourt School of Public Policy 
• Select project teams will make remarks with representatives from EmpowerDC, Coalition for Racial Equity and Democratic Economy, and the US Forest Service Northern Research Station

WHEN: 

Thursday, April 27, 2023 

1–3 p.m. EDT 

A program with remarks will run from 1–1:30 p.m. and will be followed by an open house featuring project previews.

WHERE: 

Old North 205 

Georgetown University 

37th& O Streets NW 

Washington, DC 

The opening remarks will be livestreamed on the McCourt School Facebook page

RSVP: 

Media who are interested in attending in person must RSVP by emailing media@georgetown.edu. 

Members of the general public are welcome and encouraged to RSVP. 

Visitors to Georgetown’s campus must abide by the University’s public health measures. Once confirmed, all guests should upload COVID vaccine documentation at this link. 

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About the McCourt School of Public Policy 

As a top-ranked public policy school located in Washington, DC, the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy teaches students to design, analyze and put effective policies into practice in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. From the center of the policy world, the McCourt School connects with other leading institutions and organizations to tackle society’s most complex challenges — finding solutions that turn policy into impact. For more information about the McCourt School, visit mccourt.georgetown.edu or connect with McCourt on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram. 

About Georgetown University 

Established in 1789 by Archbishop John Carroll, Georgetown is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit university in the United States. Located in Washington DC, Doha, Qatar, and around the world, Georgetown University is a leading academic and research institution, offering a unique educational experience that prepares the next generation of global citizens to lead and make a difference in the world. For more information about Georgetown University, visit Georgetown.edu or connect with Georgetown on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.