The Washington Center hosted 127 students from more than 22 different universities during the Inside Washington Seminar. Students came from all over the country for two different-themed weeks that provided a comprehensive overview of past presidential elections in addition to insights and observations about this year’s upcoming election.
Week 1: “In Pursuit of the Presidency”
The first week, which took place between January 2 and January 8, had the theme, “In Pursuit of the Presidency.” The 70 students who attended kicked off their trip with a memorable bus tour to monuments in Virginia and Washington D. C.
Sites included:
- U. S. Marine Corps (Iwo Jima) Memorial
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- Abraham Lincoln Memorial
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- World War II Memorial
- Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial
- Thomas Jefferson Memorial
- The West Front of the U. S. Capitol
A Great Selection of Speakers
The students also heard from a variety of speakers, all of whom worked on, ran for, or reported on past elections. Speakers included David Eichenbaum, a partner at Struble Eichenbaum Communications, who helped run the campaign of current Kentucky governor, Steve Beshear, as well as:
- Gail Chaddock, staff writer for The Christian Science Monitor
- Tony Mauro, Supreme Court Correspondent
- Kenneth T. Walsh, White House Correspondent
- Rodell Mollineau, President of the American Bridge to the 21st Century
- Bill Dauster, Deputy Chief of Staff of Policy for Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)
- Nigel Ashford, Senior Program Officer for the Institute of Human Studies
- Ron Faucheux, President of Clarus Research Group
Visit to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia
The first week also included a trip to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, thanks to the generosity of Macy’s and its Senior Vice President of External Affairs, Edward Jay Goldberg. Students were able to gain an in-depth look into our nation’s history by examining the Constitution and the Preamble through a series of exhibitions and programs. Students also had an opportunity to visit the Liberty Bell and take a tour of Independence Hall. And that was all just during Week 1.
Week 2: “Politics and the Media”
Between January 8 and January 14, TWC welcomed 57 additional students and a new theme, “Politics and the Media.” All 127 students who participated during the second week heard another exciting lineup of speakers, including Howard Dean, best known for his six terms as Governor of Vermont and his race for the presidency in 2004.
In addition, Week 2 attendees heard from:
- Mike McCurry, former White House Press Secretary for Bill Clinton
- Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform
- Ann Compton, Chief White House Correspondent for ABC News
- Marvin Kalb, a professor at the Kennedy School of Government
- Dr. Stephen Farnsworth, Director for the Center for Media and Leadership Studies
- John Harwood, Chief Washington Correspondent for CNBC
- Clarence Page, columnist for the Chicago Tribune
- Stephen Wayne, professor at Georgetown University and author of “The Road to The White House 2012”
- Brian Lamb, President and CEO of C-SPAN
- Sam Donaldson, former White House Correspondent for ABC News
Site Visits
Week 2 also included site visits all over the Washington, D.C. area:
- Lunch at the Embassy of Panama
- Visits to Senate offices (e. g., California Sen. Barbara Boxer and North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan)
- Capitol Building tours
- Trips the Department of Education, the U. S. Institute of Peace, the C.I.A., the European Union, and Politico, and other organizations
As the seminar wrapped up, students attended a reception at The National Press Club, where they mingled with their peers and faculty leaders. Students also heard from Former Attorney General, Edwin Meese, who gave the keynote speech. On their last day, students participated in a virtual scavenger hunt at the Newseum, where they won prizes and tweeted photos [1].
TWC hopes that each and every student came out transformed by the wonderful speakers, the historical sites, and the new friends they made over the two weeks they spent in Washington, D.C.
[View photos from Inside Washington '12 Week 1 on our Flickr channel] [2]
[View photos from Inside Washington '12 Week 2 on our Flickr channel] [3]
