As I reflect upon my journey into the world of civic technology, I am amazed by how my curiosity led me to this completely unexpected field that leverages technology to assist the government in serving their citizens. When I started at Georgetown University, I was interested in studying political economy and psychology, envisioning a career in nonprofit management. My first-year self never would have imagined that I would become so interested in technology. 

I urge all Georgetown students to remain open to unexpected areas of study and career paths. Taking advantage of all of the resources that Georgetown — and Washington, D.C. — has to offer is a great way to hone in on a passion. 

By sheer coincidence, my passion to pursue nonprofit management led me to intern with the Tech Talent Project, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the government’s ability to recruit modern technical leaders to achieve critical economic, policy and human outcomes. During my time at the Tech Talent Project, I learned about nonprofit operations, outreach and partnerships. I was fascinated when I began to expand my horizons and discover the variety of career opportunities in civic technology in the government, nonprofits and research think tanks. I learned that making improvements in civic technology is an interdisciplinary undertaking that involves not only engineers, but a myriad of experts including designers, policy makers, researchers, lawyers and human resources professionals. All of a sudden, the idea of making an impact in technology no longer seemed distant or inaccessible, and the field turned into a passion that I was determined to pursue.

As a sophomore determined to learn more about the functioning of technology in the government, I was ecstatic when I was selected for an internship in the U.S. Digital Service, a federal agency that aims to improve public service delivery through technology and design. In the U.S. Digital Service, I experienced firsthand how the combined efforts of engineers, designers, product managers and operations professionals work to create and deliver complex technological products aimed to maximize the social impact of policy initiatives across the government. Data management, communication, research and analysis are integral to the functioning of the agency. As an intern, I was able to hone my skills in impact analysis, project tracking and research — further opening my eyes to the depth of available civic technology opportunities, even without pursuing a STEM major. 

To further explore research in the government-technology field, I joined the Digital Benefits Network (DBN), a project within Georgetown’s Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation as a student analyst my junior year. The DBN team supports the government in delivering public benefits services and technology that are accessible, effective and equitable in order to ultimately increase economic opportunity. I expanded my understanding of civic technology by gaining insights into the technology usage of public benefits programs at the state and federal levels. Through my experience, I gained an appreciation for the importance of research that helps government practitioners understand the state of technology in benefits delivery and learn about new and innovative approaches to improve services for residents. 

My curiosity for the field of civic technology led me down a career path different than I had ever envisioned, and I am grateful to have had the opportunities to experience and contribute to three different areas of civic technology. 

Being part of Georgetown’s Tech & Society ecosystem, which brings students’ academic and career opportunities to the overlap of technology, ethics and society, has aided my exploration of the interdisciplinary intersection of technology and social impact. I embraced my curiosity for technology by pursuing computer science classes and learning how to code for the first time. I also found resources within Tech & Society to pursue my passion in civic technology — not just through the Beeck Center, but also through engaging speaker events featuring experts from the field. 

The key to discovering my passion for civic technology was overcoming the misconception that only STEM professionals could create an impact in the field. The world of government technology feels within my reach, and I now know how to use my diverse academic and professional skill set to create social impact. I encourage my peers to be open-minded to a winding academic road and explore careers in civic technology and beyond. 

Anaya Mehta is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences.