Domestic Exchange Student Reflections
American University
My experience at American University is pushing me to step out of my comfort zone even more than I was when I decided to go 10 hours away from my support system and everything I ever knew—that was when I made a choice to change the world and enroll at Spelman College. American University’s Washington Semester Program (WSP) has forced me to become comfortable with a new environment, most notably a large campus setting.
Within the WSP, I chose to enroll in the Justice and Law concentration. This program requires me to attend class twice a week and intern the other three days of the week. Although I am from the Washington Metropolitan area, specifically Maryland, I have been challenged to view D.C. in a different light. For instance, my professor often encourages us to use D.C. as our classroom. Throughout the semester, my professor has set up a number of tours for us, some with speakers, to help us gain a better understanding of all aspects of government and the justice system alike. So far, we have visited the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), African-American History Museum, and National Portrait Gallery.
In addition to site visits, speakers from various organizations frequently come to our class. Some organizations include the Teamsters, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD), Stop the War on Drugs, Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Maryland. While many of our speakers have been law enforcement related, our professor has been conscious of including all facets of law into our lectures.
Our recent class lectures have focused on the criminal justice system and, in particular, failings that many of us agree exist. For instance, we have discussed whether race was a factor in police-involved shootings. Since many of the topics are controversial and may be sensitive for some, we created a class agreement the first day. This ensures that no one is offended in the class. This agreement applies to our online blog posts and with our speakers as well. Our professor encourages students to be open-minded; therefore, we explore various positions of an issue. For example, we had a Democrat and a Republican lobbyist speak to us at the same time. Another example was just last week when we listened to a Special Agent at the DEA and then later in the week heard from a founding member of Stop the Drug War. While the professor will share his views on a particular topic, he will do so only after the class has an opportunity to express our opinions.
The final component of the WSP is an internship and I secured a placement with a local attorney. His office is not very large, but his workload is heavy. I am able to receive one-on-one advice, help, and guidance. I also get to meet other attorneys that he works with on occasion. I have been very involved in my internship and even had the opportunity to sit in on a court proceeding, which he won.
This experience has been one of a kind and I look forward to the remainder of the semester. After all, the semester has just begun, and we have already learned and experienced so much.
