Title:Increasing access to public policy education for military-connected students

When Craig Newmark Philanthropies established the Craig Newmark Veterans Scholarship Fund at the McCourt School of Public Policy, Newmark said he wanted to “advance opportunities for military-connected students who want to extend their service in the field of public policy and deepen the impact they can have for the common good.”

Three years later, the McCourt School has welcomed 17 Newmark Scholars, advancing its ambition to be the nation’s most inclusive public policy school. Newmark Scholars each receive a $20,000 scholarship for their full- or part-time graduate studies—support that attracts talent and reduces the risk that student loan debt will prevent graduates from realizing their professional calling. Most Newmark Scholars pursue a career in the public sector.

“Our country faces a lot of challenges, and veterans and military-connected individuals bring a unique set of skills and perspectives to contribute to solutions,” says Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies and founding member of the McCourt School Advisory Board.

With the Veterans Scholarship Fund, Craig Newmark Philanthropies is a key partner in Georgetown’s Called to Be campaign, bolstering the university’s commitment to access and excellence and helping Georgetown realize its potential as the premier source of ethically grounded leaders poised to have a positive impact.

Connecting ‘people doing good’

The Craig Newmark Veterans Scholarship Fund has been making a difference at McCourt for three years.

“This fund empowers veterans to pursue careers in public policy and make meaningful contributions to shaping policies that affect us all. Craig Newmark’s philanthropy has also inspired others to support scholarships for veterans at Georgetown, and his commitment to connecting the people doing good in this nation has expanded the Newmark Scholars network in service of greater impact,” said Meredith Hanley, senior director of development at the McCourt School.

In addition to providing scholarships that cover tuition, Newmark also considered how to help students thrive during their graduate studies. The fund supports networking opportunities and student-run organizations like the National Defense Policy Initiative, which seeks to increase awareness and understanding of the military profession, as well as provide a working knowledge of military organizations, which is essential for students pursuing careers in government, either domestically or internationally.

Empowering Georgetown’s military-connected community

“We’re honored to have many veterans, active duty, and military-connected community members in our university community,” says Georgetown President John J. DeGioia. “We are always seeking to provide a context in which they can share their talents, deepen their knowledge, and uphold the values that have distinguished their service.”

Georgetown’s holistic support includes the university’s Military and Veterans’ Resource Center (MAVRC), currently led by Stephan Murphy, a U.S. Army veteran who has spent the last three and a half years supporting military-connected students in higher education. In addition, Georgetown is home to a ROTC program called the Hoya Battalion and the Georgetown University Student Veterans Association, which received the Student Veterans of America Chapter of the Year Award in 2021.