HON 150: Leadership & Civic Responsibility

Course Description: An immersive 2-week long Washington, DC experience in which students explore social issues, the role of leadership, and commitment to civic responsibility with accomplished, informed leaders in diverse fields, such as government, media and communication, education, business, military, non-profit organizations, athletics, and the arts. This experience included listening to speakers at the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University and inspiring site visits at historical places, companies, and non-profits.

What I Learned: I learned the significance of maintaining a positive relationship with those I encounter, to develop my passion and build my career from that, and to listen and take advice from others who have more knowledge and experience on specific matters. Additionally, the importance of having mentors that provide guidance regarding the matters of my life and career decisions. Many of the speakers we heard from spoke about the significance of finding your passion and then building your career off of that passion. My passion is political campaigns and government, so I will continue to study political science and be involved in the election and political process.

Experiences:

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We explored the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, and Korean War Memorial. These are beautiful pieces of architecture that pay respect to those who completely deserve it. I was touched by all the names written on the Vietnam War Memorial because those young men served their country to the best of their ability and I am glad that they are being honored for their service. The Korean War Memorial does not receive much attention as the others, but it is a wonderful structure. It felt amazing to be at the Lincoln Memorial and at the Reflecting Pool where so many moments of history occurred, such as MLK Jr.’s speech and the Vietnam War protests. As I look back in time, I am incredibly thankful for the American generations that came before us that fought for our country, protested for the common good, and paved the way for the present day where the United States remains the best country in the world. 

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Even though we saw some snow in D.C, all of our scheduled plans continued. We had the opportunity to sit in the House Gallery and heard from 2 former congressmen. Viewing the congressman in the House Gallery was an extremely enlightening experience. I was able to see many members of Congress, for which I was able to recognize many of them. I was not expecting so many members to be talking with each other or on their phones when other members were speaking to the chamber. It does not seem like the American people are sending the best and the brightest to Washington D.C. to represent their interests. This has inspired me to continue to be involved with politics on all levels of government and maybe even be a staffer, chief-of-staff, or representative. I understand why so many Americans view Washington D.C. as corrupt and ineffective, and I would like to be able to help the country by providing a good example as something other than those thoughts. In regard to my goals for civic engagement, I hope to continue my involvement in elections on the local, state, and national level.

Both former Congressmen reflected on their times in Congress and how difficult, but rewarding the experience was. Maffei stated several pieces of advice, such as it is a lot easier to criticize than to create meaningful policy solutions. That is important to take into account when analyzing the successes and failures of the majority and minority parties in both houses of Congress. Additionally, he stated that people do not realize the unintended consequences to “simple” solutions that people sometimes propose. One thing that Maffei mentioned that I disagreed with was in regard to direct democracy and how people do not have the capability to make governmental decisions on their own, and that they must rely upon an elected representative. In my opinion, that is disregarding the views of citizens who deserve to have a say in decisions that will directly affect them. A growing trend that I have discovered between the speakers and Maffei touched on is that the American people have lost trust in institutions and no longer want to rely on expertise, an example is Donald Trump becoming president of the United States. 

We also heard from Jon Porter who represented Nevada in the House of Representatives. He offered the advice of following your heart and do what is right. Additionally, Porter taught me how much money impacts the political and election cycles. He revealed that raising money was what he spent doing the most while he served as congressman. Another theme that I have heard from many of the speakers, including Porter is to seek people who you trust and stick with them. I will take that piece of advice with me at college, internships, and my future workplace. 

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It felt amazing to walk in the same footsteps as George Washington and other notable people who have toured those grounds. I enjoyed viewing the architecture and paintings in the house. I was extremely interested in the story that the tour guide told about how during the Civil War, the north and south agreed to make Mount Vernon neutral ground. I am proud of our older generations that understood the importance of preserving that land, so that future generations could view it.

I heavily enjoyed the simulation where I acted as President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Senator Langdon from New Hampshire. Each student was given a role of either a senator, a member of the president’s cabinet, or ambassador. I liked interacting with the other students while passing bills and solving crises, such as determining tariff policies, the possible creation of a national army, and war with Britain. During that experience, I began to understand how difficult the job of someone in the legislative or executive branches who face tough decisions each day. I will definitely keep that in mind when I question a politician’s decision-making.

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We visited the Embassy of Pakistan and heard the Ambassador, H.E. Dr. Asad Majeed Khan speak about his foreign service career and the importance of maintaining peace in the world, specifically in the Middle East. I did not know what to expect from that experience, but it was extremely valuable. I appreciated having the opportunity to see what other people do in the embassy. It was interesting to hear directly from the Ambassador who has a tremendous amount of experience as working in the foreign service of Pakistan. He stated that the relationship between the United States and Pakistan is a positive one under President Trump, and he hopes that continues. I learned that the Embassy of Pakistan looks after the interests of Iran in the United States.

Conclusion: This experience has deeply affected me because it has reaffirmed that I want my future career to be related to politics and government. My participation in this experience has changed my outlook on life and I hope to have a positive impact on my community and world. I learned to always try my best in all that I do and the rest will work out. Sometimes I may fail, but those failures will provide me with valuable lessons and experiences. I think about my future often regarding my future family and career, but hearing the life stories of the speakers provided me with the comfort of not having everything figured out at a young age.