On March 14, students in the Program in Washington met with Paddy McGuire ’81, deputy director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program.  FVAP acts on behalf of the Secretary of Defense to help administer the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986.

On Wednesday, March 14, Hamilton students participating in the Program in Washington attended the official welcoming ceremony for David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, on the south lawn of the White House. Sara Feuerstein ’07, a member of the White House staff, arranged for the students to attend this important and traditional event.

On a spectacular Sunday afternoon, Feb. 26, students on the Program in Washington visited Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place for 14,000 veterans.  The highlight of the visit was witnessing the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns by soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment.

On February 22, students in the Semester in Washington Program met with Timothy Nussbaum ’07, Northern Virginia operations coordinator for the George Allen for U.S. Senate campaign. Previously, Nussbaum had served as senior research assistant for the Fred Thompson for President campaign in 2008 and as executive assistant to the president of George Allen Strategies LLC.

On Feb. 15, students in the Program in Washington met with Michael McCurry P ’13, co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates. CPD was established in 1987 to sponsor and produce debates for the United States presidential and vice presidential candidates and to undertake research and educational activities relating to the debates.

For students in the Semester in Washington Program, variety is the spice of political life. A diverse group of these students—conservative, liberals and the curious—chose to attend the  39th annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that took place February 9-11.

Students in Hamilton’s Program in Washington, D.C., visited the American Enterprise Institute this week and met with Steven Hayward, the F. K. Weyerhaeuser Fellow.  Hayward writes on a wide range of public policy issues and is the author of the Almanac of Environmental Trends, and many books on environmental topics.

On February 1, students in the Semester in Washington Program met with George Baker ’74 and Frank Vlossak ’89, principals at Williams and Jensen PLLC. Williams and Jensen is one of the nation's leading, independently owned government affairs law firms.

Although the co-curricular program of the Semester in Washington focuses primarily on meetings and networking with policy makers and shapers, students also explore the cultural assets of the nation’s capital.

Sixteen sophomores and juniors have begun the spring 2012 Semester in Washington, which combines academic seminars, independent research and internships. Internships this semester include the House, Senate, Department of Justice, Republican National Committee, and a variety of thinks tanks, consulting firms and non-profits. The Semester in Washington also has a rich co-curricular program, including meetings with those who make and influence policy and excursions to take advantage of Washington’s educational and cultural assets.