Mapping Community Engagement

Georgetown University’s commitment to the common good in the District of Columbia – a place it has called home for over two centuries – is at the heart of its Jesuit tradition.

Like many cities around the world, our nation's capital city is undergoing significant change, with the emergence of new economic sectors, changing demographics, and growing incomes.  However, this newfound prosperity is not evenly distributed and has exacerbated deep racial health, educational, and wealth disparities. As a leading academic and research institution with expertise in public policy and law, among other areas, Georgetown faculty, staff, and students conduct community-based research and engage in direct community service designed to address many of these disparities.

To do this work, Georgetown has longstanding community partnerships with many local organizations and collaborates across schools to provide direct service and other supports. Additionally, Georgetown faculty, staff, and students engage in a diverse array of community-based research focused on some of the most pressing issues in the District. And each year, Georgetown awards the John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award to an emerging local leader to reinforce the university’s commitment to engagement within Washington, DC and to celebrate some of the city’s most inspirational community leaders working to address the key issues that shape the city and the people who live in it. An interactive database and mapping tool has been developed to showcase our many community engagements.