Talent
In Their Own Words: What Top Government Leaders Really Told Our Scholars
Two weeks. More than twenty speakers. Zero filters. When government leaders and mission-driven innovators opened up to our newest Scholar cohort, they didn’t deliver talking points—they delivered truth. Our Scholars walked in expecting presentations. They walked out with something far more valuable: unvarnished insights from the people actually transforming how government operates. Here’s what caught stuck with them.
Melissa Lopez-Barbosa, NobleReach Scholar ’25
I was surprised at how essential it is to keep fundamental aspects of one’s work in mind. For example, knowing who you’re serving is crucial. Knowing the product or service you’re working on will have an effective use, and that it will actually serve a purpose, that it have a value proposition is vital—it surprised me that it can be something that can get lost in the shuffle; it is something I know I will make an effort every day to think about to ensure my work is serving the greater purpose.
Keerthy Reddy, NobleReach Scholar ’25
I was surprised by how much emphasis was placed on the idea of “dual citizenship” between government and industry. Before attending bootcamp, I thought of government work as a narrow path that people committed to for their entire careers. Instead, I learned how valuable it can be to move between sectors, bringing expertise and knowledge from each one into the other. I was especially inspired by speakers such as Maryland Secretary of Information Technology Katie Savage, who provided concrete examples of how public-private partnerships can open doors for rapid and effective change.
Ben Claflin, NobleReach Scholar ’25
Despite attending a university with over 40,000 students, I struggled to find peers who wanted to join the public sector. Once I arrived at bootcamp, I quickly found a community of brilliant, ambitious people who were passionate about being part of something bigger than themselves. It was refreshing and reassuring to find others with technical expertise willing to get their hands dirty and help.
Gregory Mitchell, NobleReach Scholar ’25
The candid conversations with our speakers were incredibly eye-opening. Being able to understand the thinking that goes on behind the scenes, as well as the calculus needed to navigate complex political, social, and technological environments gave me insights that have changed my way of thinking in unexpected ways. The level of access we as Scholars had during the bootcamp was an amazing privilege.
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