GW Students to Compete for Democracy Innovation Prize

Students at George Washington University will soon have a chance to turn their ideas for strengthening democracy into reality through a new innovation competition launching next fall.

The School of Media & Public Affairs announced the SMPA Democracy Innovation Prize this week, opening the competition to students from every discipline across campus. Winners could receive cash prizes or startup funding to help bring their solutions to life.

"We've had a lot of really smart, interesting, creative, entrepreneurial classmates," said SMPA Director Peter Loge. "Let's harness some of that and focus it and reward that for improving the democracy in which we are lucky enough to live."

The competition challenges students to develop practical solutions for pressing problems in politics and media. Think voter disillusionment, the collapse of local newspapers, and other issues threatening civic engagement.

John Barth, a member of the SMPA National Council and former adjunct professor, endowed the prize after calling Loge in December with the idea. He said he wanted to inspire students to keep democracy "front and center" during challenging times for American civic life.

Why This Inspires

What makes this competition different is its focus on real-world impact. Organizers plan to connect winning ideas with nonprofits and other organizations that can actually implement them.

"This is not a purely academic exercise," Barth explained. The competition will change its focus each year to stay relevant, and student solutions need to be practical, applicable, and original.

Frank Sesno, SMPA's Director of Strategic Initiatives, sees the prize as a bridge between brilliant student ideas and decision makers who can act on them. The school hopes to build a public platform around student work that amplifies their voices beyond the classroom.

A panel of judges will evaluate submissions, though organizers haven't finalized all the details yet. Loge said he's already reaching out to students, alumni, advocacy groups, and political contacts to gather feedback for developing the competition.

The Democracy Innovation Prize joins other entrepreneurial competitions at GW, but it's the first to directly tackle challenges facing democracy and media. Students will get a chance to prove that fresh perspectives and innovative thinking can help solve some of society's toughest civic challenges.