The McCourt School of Public Policy opened a new building at 125 E St. between 1st and 2nd streets, adjacent to Georgetown University Law Center, on Sept. 12 with the goal of fostering stronger connections, collaboration and dialogue between faculty, students and policymakers.
The new building features an expansive Main Commons, a grand staircase spanning nine floors and views of the U.S. Capitol. Compared to the original 25,000 square feet of space in Old North, the McCourt School’s former primary location, the new building covers more than 150,000 square feet, including 20 classrooms, a 400-seat auditorium and numerous team and conference rooms.
Abril Hunter (MPP ’25), the McCourt Student Association president, said the new common rooms, grand spaces and auditorium have significantly contributed to fostering community among students.
“I really like the common spaces that we have,” Hunter told The Hoya. “We have a couple common areas where grad students can just relax and another on our fourth floor. Those are places where we can see a plethora of faces and you know that in passing you will see other students who are in the program.”
Maria Cancian, dean of the McCourt School, said the vision behind the new building and the various opportunities it offers is to create an environment where students can connect with like-minded peers, pursue internships and build meaningful professional relationships.
“The new building was designed to facilitate engagement among the internal McCourt community and create opportunities to convene partners and neighbors,” Cancian wrote to The Hoya. “Our proximity to several other Georgetown schools and programs on the Capitol Campus, including the Georgetown University Law Center, the School of Continuing Studies, the Capitol Applied Learning Labs, interdisciplinary programs and initiatives at 500 First St., and new student housing at 55 H St., will provide unique learning opportunities for McCourt students, and help them build connections with other Hoyas.”
Adam Thomas, a teaching professor and faculty director for the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program at the McCourt School, said the building’s geographical location would benefit students as well.
“We’re right in the nerve center of the policymaking universe given our new location,” Thomas told The Hoya. “Being close to all these policymaking organizations can just be a source of inspiration, walking past them on their way to school, seeing what they’re all about.”
Cancian said the new building has already led to successes and created new opportunities, including hosting events that bring the campus organizations and external groups together.
“In just the first few months in our new building, the McCourt School hosted several large convenings for internal and external partners, including the nation’s largest bipartisan convening of young state legislators and orientation programming for all new students,” Cancian said. “We are actively hosting Decision Desk HQ, a leading U.S. decision-desk operation that will bring election literacy programming, experiential learning and internship opportunities to Georgetown’s Capitol Campus for the 2024 elections.”
Old North had only one conference room, no classrooms and fewer office spaces. Students, faculty and staff were spread out across campus, limiting opportunities for engagement and collaboration, according to Thomas and Hunter.
Thomas said the improvements of the new location have supported his ability to create community with students and faculty.
“I’ve chatted with more students in the past few days than I would have in a couple of weeks in our old building,” Thomas said. “I’ve seen faculty and staff colleagues that I haven’t seen for months. There will be a lot of opportunities for people to talk to each other and get to know each other in a way that they didn’t previously.”
Hunter said that the spaces have furthered the ability to connect with other students and increased attendance at events.
“We now have an auditorium where we can host these bigger events so students who are in our building for classes can pop in and out of events more easily given the larger space,” Hunter told The Hoya. “They don’t have to necessarily go from Healy to Old North to Car Barn and make this roundabout method of finding a community and going to these events.”
Along with its geographical location, Hunter said that the new building will solidify McCourt’s reputation as a leading policy school.
“Hosting these events in our own building helps to further establish our name as a policy school,” Hunter said. “There is no better place to have policymaking students than in the heart of D.C., close to more policy making opportunities.”
