HIGH POINT, N.C., June 22, 2016 – High Point University students met a wide range of Washington D.C. professionals as a part the “Maymester” course “Power and Politics.” Visits included high profile media outlets, influential elected officials and their staffs, experienced political operatives from both major parties and a variety of government officials.
Students visited media outlets such as the Associated Press (AP) Washington Bureau where they learned from AP reporters, toured National Public Radio (NPR) and watched the production of a live broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” and met host Chuck Todd in-studio at a recording of NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“Our access to such exciting, high-level visits comes from a network of HPU alumni, friends and other professional contacts,” says Dr. Martin Kifer, associate professor of political science at HPU. “We are teaching students the lesson that building and maintaining these professional networks can lead to their meeting with well-known D.C. insiders, but also provide opportunities for internships, jobs and other important experiences.”
During the trip, students were able to shake hands and mingle with several high-ranking government officials such as U.S. Senator Richard Burr; Colin Kahl, national security advisor to vice president Joe Biden; Michael Falkenheim, deputy associate director for economic policy for the Office of Management and Budget; and Norris Cochran, deputy assistant secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services. Outside of government service, they met with political operatives such as HPU alummi Rich Davis of Dixon-Davis Media and Ameer Patel of Catalist as well as key staff at the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Democratic National Committee.
The class also visited prominent think tanks and interest groups such as the American Legislative Exchange Council, Heritage Foundation, Center for American Progress and Common Cause, to name a few.
“This course provides our students an amazing opportunity to talk and pose questions to a wide range of political professionals,” said Dr. Mark Setzler, professor and chair of political science at HPU. “The access students got on this trip – for example, meeting with a U.S. Senator, sitting down with Joe Biden’s advisor and asking a CIA analyst about work life inside the intelligence community – is something they will remember for the rest of their life. More importantly, it has prepared our students to make solid professional choices as they leave HPU to start their careers.”
“This trip was a valuable experience in learning how to successfully maneuver a business setting,” said HPU student Julia Fiedler. “I was also able to ask important political figures many questions and find out what it really means to work in the industry of politics.”