MacGPT: 2025

MacGPT returned to campus on November 15 for Macalester’s third annual public policy hackathon, bringing together students from across disciplines for a fast-paced, full-day challenge centered around public health policy.

From 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Kagin Ballroom, teams worked through a real policy prompt, developed a solution, and pitched their ideas to judges working in research and public policy. Mentorship played a major role throughout the event. Faculty stopped by teams’ workspaces to help them refine their proposals and think through the policy impact of their ideas. Afterward, a dinner with alumni and Twin Cities professionals gave students a chance to talk about careers and hear about policy work beyond Macalester.

The winning team was Shiz University, consisting of Sophia Segura ’27 and Adèle Ngobo Mbappe ’29, with “Treating Mercury Poisoning to Reduce Rural Health Disparities in Peru.” Team #mlmwinzz, consisting of Edgar Orellana Reyes ’26, Reilly Wood ’27, and Brandon Souverain ’27, took second place with “Reframing Medical Curriculums to Promote Maternal Health Equity.”

Food and snacks were available all day, keeping teams energized and making the long hours feel like a shared, community-driven effort.

Winner of the 2024 Ann Bolger Vision Award, MacGPT continues to evolve as an important opportunity for students interested in public policy and interdisciplinary problem-solving.

Whether participants arrived with policy experience or simply a desire to make a difference, MacGPT offered a safe space to experiment, collaborate, and imagine solutions with real-world impact.