Seven ESU Students To Attend Inauguration Seminar in Washington, D.C. This Month

Seven students from East Stroudsburg University (ESU) of Pennsylvania will travel to Washington, D.C. this month to witness history and democracy in action. ESU’s students will be among the 401 students representing 46 colleges and universities nationwide to participate in The Washington Center (TWC) Presidential Inauguration Seminar, January 12-22.  The intent is for the participating ESU students to gain a first-hand practical understanding of the details and nuances associated with presidential inaugurations.

Students representing ESU are: Ryan Stevens, a junior from East Stroudsburg, Pa., majoring in political science; Tyler Day, a junior political science major from Milford, Pa.; Myia Woodson, a junior from East Stroudsburg, Pa., majoring in political science; Lyesha Fleming, a senior psychology major from Blakeslee, Pa.;  Nathaniel Sanders, a freshman majoring in business administration from Brodheadsville, Pa.;  Amy Okale Majani a junior political science major from East Stroudsburg, Pa.;  and Kwaku Adjei-Bohyen, a junior majoring in political science from Edison, N.J.

The 10-day academic seminar provides students with a unique opportunity to witness the historical inauguration of President Obama and attend special events, including a reception at the National Press Club, an association for journalists and communications professionals that is known as “The Place Where News Happens.”  The seminar allows ESU students to meet faculty and students from colleges across the country while learning about the media’s impact on the presidential inauguration.  According to TWC, students will participate in site visits, tours, and special events, build a professional network, explore potential career paths and interact with nationally and internationally recognized leaders in politics and the media.

ESU students will be supervised by Dr. Kimberly S. Adams, associate professor of political science and campus liaison to TWC, an educational non-profit, non-partisan organization that provides specialized internship opportunities in Washington D.C., and abroad to thousands of students from hundreds of colleges and universities nationally and worldwide.   Adams was chosen to serve as a faculty leader from a pool of applicants from across the states.

“This type of learning experience certainly cannot be imparted in the traditional classroom setting,” said Adams. “As a professor of political science, I believe that it is essential that students are exposed to hands-on politics and participate in such experiential programs, as it adds to their knowledge of the subject matter and allows for meaningful dialogue in class discussions.”

Adams adds that seeing the process in action greatly enhances the students’ understanding of course materials in such ESU classes as The America Presidency, Political Parties, Political Communications, American Government and Campaigns and Elections. She says that after such an experience, students are often more excited about the political process and begin to assume leadership positions on their respective campuses.

The seven students were chosen from a campus-wide application announcement and were selected in November 2012. After attending, the students will write a research paper about the program, interview a politician who serves in local, state or national office and participate in a campus forum informing other students about the seminar.

Funding was provided by the political science department, the offices of the dean of the ESU College of Arts and Sciences and the vice president of student affairs, an ESU Provost Office instructional support grant, a co-sponsorship grant from the university’s Office of Diversity and a Student Activities Association grant.

For more information about the forum, please contact Dr. Adams at 570-422-3924 or at ksadams@esu.edu.  For more information about ESU’s political science programs, visit www.esu.edu/pols, or to learn about The Washington Center, visit www.twc.edu/seminars/programs.

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