Public Service Weekend 2023
Join a community of future leaders, expand your network, and gain experience in the nation's capital. Apply now for Heinz College's Public Service Weekend, a free conference and Scopeathon for undergraduate students from July 14-16, 2023 in Washington, D.C.
Attendees will have the opportunity to:
- Participate in the Scopeathon for Social Good and gain unique professional skills
- Meet innovative and impactful thought leaders and practitioners
- Grow leadership and professional development skills through sessions with faculty and practitioners
- Learn about career and education opportunities in fields that have impact
We welcome rising college juniors and seniors from all majors and backgrounds to apply, particularly those with a commitment to working on issues involving social justice and equity. We encourage applications from students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.
Meet Your Program Hosts
Hosted by Heinz College, a leader in Public Interest Technology for more than 50 years, PSW 2023 will bring together a diverse group of participants and practitioners—including policymakers, technologists, designers, and leaders—to develop innovative solutions to pressing societal problems.
The weekend will feature Rayid Ghani, a Distinguished Career Professor in Heinz College and in the Machine Learning Department of Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science. He uses machine learning, AI, and data science methods to solve problems in a fair and equitable way in the fields of criminal justice, education, health care, energy, transportation, economic development, workforce development, and public safety. He is the founder of the Data Science for Social Good Summer Fellowship and was the Chief Scientist for President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign.
What is Scopeathon?
While traditional hackathons involve writing code or building a technical solution, the Scopeathon requires participants to provide a more accurate scoping of civic data and tech projects so that they create actionable, adoptable solutions. During the weekend, students receive hands-on experience scoping a data project with real-world, positive social impact. They work in teams, and connect with D.C.-based nonprofits and government agencies who are interested in leveraging their data more effectively.
Key dates
Participants must be able to attend each session of the program, which will be held in person at the Heinz College campus in Washington, D.C. The conference is free to attend and will include materials and refreshments on all three days; transportation and travel is not included.
Friday, July 14, 6-8 p.m. EDT
Saturday, July 15, 9-6 p.m. EDT
Sunday, July 16, 9-1 p.m. EDT
Application information
Deadline to Apply: June 20, 2023
The application form requires interested students to answer a few basic questions and to upload the following documents:
- Current Resume
- Unofficial copy of transcript from your undergrad institution
- Personal Statement: Submit an essay that responds to the questions listed below (combined response should be no more than 1,000 words):
- What about your background/experience has inspired you to explore a career in public policy or international affairs?
- How do you envision your career path impacting the policy issues you are most interested in?
- How will attending Public Service Weekend help you achieve your career goals?