Last month, Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy and School of Foreign Service (SFS) co-hosted a free, in-person conference for undergraduate students from groups traditionally underrepresented in public service and international affairs. The event was one of several Public Service Weekends led each year by the Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA), a not-for-profit organization that has been supporting efforts to increase diversity in graduate studies across public policy, international affairs, and public service for over 40 years.
“We were so excited to host once again a dynamic and accomplished group of diverse undergraduates on our campus,” said Julie Ito, director of admissions at the McCourt School. “Programs such as PPIA’s Public Service Weekends allow us to connect early with talented groups of students who can play a role in shaping the future.”
Nearly 30 undergraduates—representing four-year colleges and universities in Georgia, Massachusetts, California, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, New York, Florida, Illinois, and Nevada—attended the event on Georgetown’s Hilltop Campus. Most participants were from underrepresented racial groups and more than half identified as first-generation college students.
Public Service Weekends “introduce undergraduate changemakers to the broad range of opportunities available in public service and international affairs,” said Estevan Daniel Delgado, PPIA program executive director. The weekends are part of PPIA’s goal to increase the participation and inclusion of traditionally underrepresented groups at the highest level of public sector leadership.
Read more about the Public Service Weekend on Georgetown’s Hilltop Campus and its outreach to future leaders in the fields of public policy and international affairs.