Fall 2023, Georgetown Magazine

McCourt School of Public Policy celebrates its first decade

 Mariel Jackson
 October 4, 2023
“There is great joy, no matter how hard the work, in building, creating, and improving,” said Frank H. McCourt Jr. at his 2023 commencement address. He urged the graduating class to “engage their magnanimity.”
“There is great joy, no matter how hard the work, in building, creating, and improving,” said Frank H. McCourt Jr. at his 2023 commencement address. He urged the graduating class to “engage their magnanimity.” | Photo: Phill Humnicky

The McCourt School celebrated its 10-year anniversary with founding donor Frank H. McCourt Jr. (C’75, Parent’05) speaking at the 2023 Commencement Ceremony before the largest cohort of McCourt graduates to date.

“For me, at the end of the day, there’s only one metric that matters, and it’s this: Are we taking care of our children?” said McCourt. “Are we serving the next generation? Are we handing off a future that offers greater opportunities and a better quality of life? This is the sacred metric.”

McCourt’s remarks focused on ideals and dreams for the future, calling on 2023 graduates to utilize the skills they developed, the networks they built, and the talents they honed to address society’s most pressing challenges.

“More than your intellect or your acquired skills, I have faith in the size of your heart. In your capacity to meet our moment not only with your proficiency, but with your magnanimity. You have the chance to navigate a new path that is not determined by the power of technology but, rather, is guided by the aspirations of your soul,” said McCourt.

In 2013, the Georgetown alumnus invested $100 million to establish the McCourt School of Public Policy. McCourt then made a second $100 million investment in 2021, half of which is devoted to scholarships to catalyze a more inclusive pipeline of public policy leaders.

Executive Chair of McCourt Global and a member of the Georgetown University Board of Directors, McCourt is the founder of Project Liberty, which seeks to transform the internet through a new, equitable technology infrastructure and rebuild social media in a way that enables users to own and control their personal data.

Project Liberty’s Institute (formerly the McCourt Institute), which was launched in 2021 with founding academic partners Sciences Po in Paris and Georgetown University, aims to address critical questions on the impact of technological innovation on society, with a particular focus on public policy. Since March 2022, Georgetown has awarded more than $4 million in research grants through its partnership with Project Liberty’s Institute, supporting the work of faculty across the university with deep expertise in law, public policy, computer science, and ethics.

The 2023–2024 grantees will investigate the effects of technology on individuals and society, as well as how to address the challenge of new technologies born in the information age.

“This year marks a momentous occasion in the School’s history,” said Dean Maria Cancian. “We are grateful to Frank McCourt for joining us to celebrate our graduates—and for all that his leadership and generosity have enabled Georgetown and the McCourt School to achieve.”