Students witness history
Alex Fioravanti
Issue date: 1/23/09 Section: News
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Jenn Sherman, a senior double major in journalism and mass communication and political science, was one of the 13 students (accompanied by Danette Brickman, assistant professor of political science) who attended the program offered through The Washington Center (TWC).
TWC is a nonprofit organization that provides students across the country opportunities to work and learn in Washington, D.C., for academic credit, the Web site reported.
According to Sherman, TWC offers these kinds of programs frequently, and she and the other students were excited for the opportunity. Daniel Volkosh, a junior political science major, said Brickman went to extensive lengths to ensure the trip would be possible.
Stephen Stahl, dean of the school of arts and sciences, said he was excited when Brickman approached him with the program.
The group attended seminars related not only to the election but also to the media. Such prominent individuals as Ted Koppel and Dana Perino provided some of the seminars, Sherman said.
Each student paid $2,200,, which included hotel and a week of seminars that ran from around 8 a.m. to noon, Sherman said.
Additionally, any student who participated in the program received three credits toward the current semester. Stahl approved the trip and academic credit because he believes in a hands-on kind of learning.
"I feel very strongly that students learn best by doing or by experiencing, and in such situations students take a much greater responsibility for grasping the educational opportunity," Stahl wrote in an e-mail.
He said the trip wasn't the only requirement. While in Washington, each student kept a blog on his or her experiences at http://bonas2009inauguration.wordpress.com.
In addition to the seminars, the group attended different site visits leading up to the inauguration, including a meeting with the ambassador of Nigeria, a tour of the Capital Building, a visit to the Smithsonian Museum and a chance to attend the last Senate session. At the session, attendees saw Hillary Clinton's and Joseph Biden's farewell addresses and former Vice President Dick Cheney swearing in Roland Burris as junior senator of Illinois.
Stahl said those types of experiences make a trip like this beneficial.
"I don't think it's possible for me to express exactly how much they got out of this trip," he wrote. "Obviously they got to witness history at the inauguration itself, but more importantly, they were active observers … (they) were in an environment of intensive, self-driven learning similar to what they'll experience in graduate school or professional school."
While Volkosh said all these events were amazing, he admitted his favorite part of the trip was roaming the city at his own leisure. Sherman said some of her favorite moments included the inaugural ball she attended and the free concert on Sunday that featured artists such as Mary J. Blige, Garth Brooks, U2 and Usher as well as speakers Tom Hanks, Steve Carell and Jamie Foxx.
Sherman said she was awe-struck when Obama made his first appearance at the ball, accompanied by wife Michelle.
"I was completely overcome with chills when they played 'Hail to the Chief'," she said. "He briefly addressed the crowd … then he and Michelle had their first dance."
Volkosh didn't attend the inaugural ball, but had a similar experience at the actual inauguration.
"It was … awesome," he said. "You could look back and see people all the way back to the Washington Monument and past. Everyone was kind of in the same sense of optimism. Everyone was there for a purpose."
Sherman shared Volkosh's sentiments.
"It was awesome to see power transfer right in front of you and (to) have it done in such a peaceful fashion is just amazing," she said. "It shows how unique America is and how grateful we should be for who we are and where we are."
e-mail: fioravam@sbu.edu
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