Domestic Exchange Student Reflections
American University
“That sounds like a blast,” yells one of the AU students as I sit in the campus library writing my reflection. Those sentiments perfectly describe my experience in the Washington Semester Program (WSP) at American University so far. My experience with campus life, activities and D.C. city life have been nothing short of amazing!
The WSP’s American politics concentration exposes students to the inner workings of the national government and the role of politics within the institution. I have met high-level political actors, both elected and unelected, who influence legislation and help resolve some of the nation's toughest problems.
My class attended a panel discussion on the Ukraine Crisis at the Cato Institute, one of the world’s premier think tanks. Days after the controversial travel ban was instituted, I attended a panel discussion on the Immigration and Refugees challenges at the American Enterprise Institute, an influential conservative think tank. At this event, I was honored to meet one of the Iraqi Diplomats (pictured here).
My class assignments include writing memorandums, which are research based documents that appeal to a particular audience. Topics include campaign management, the role of congress/presidency, public policy, and constitutional law. Drafting memorandums has been challenging but the writing skills I have acquired have better prepared my legal writing.
So far, the highlights of my experience have been attending the Women’s March on Washington on January 21, 2017, attending a book signing event for the parents of Trayvon Martin, attending a conversation with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsburg, attending a panel discussion at the DC Twitter headquarters, and attending an exclusive tour and tea at the Washington National Cathedral (my internship site). One of my takeaways was a remark made by Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon’s mother, in response to removing barriers in the criminal justice system. She said, “You have to take all this education and knowledge you have and add it to the movement.” All of these experiences have shaped my understanding of my own role in the movement as a person of color and as a woman. Before attending this program, I was well aware of the importance of being actively engaged in our world’s present day civil rights movement. This experience has helped me define where I fit into the picture. This experience has required me to step out of my comfort zone and view life with a new lens.
Now, as my time at American University is slowly coming to an end, I reflect on my time in the Washington Semester Program (WSP), and I remember sitting with Dean Neely and Ms. Washington expressing my hesitation in participating in the program. I am so glad I did not allow my fear of the unknown to deter me in making the best decision of my life.
Currently, I am sitting outside on the grass on the Quad. The Quad could be described as a grassy area where American University students congregate for picnics, playing games such as frisbee and hula hooping, or lying down in the grass. As I sit here, I have decided to highlight a few life lessons that this experience has taught me.
Do not doubt yourself. In the classroom, there have been many moments when I would compare my level of engagement to that of my classmates. Sometimes I felt like I was not contributing enough or did not know enough about the material to fully engage. This attitude did not serve me or my classmates well.
Meaningful relationships take time. I have been able to meet some of the top thought leaders in the country. However, meaningful relationships are not simply shaking hands with everyone. Instead one must be intentional and genuinely interested in getting to know others.
You have to be in the right place for the right opportunities to be presented to you. This only happens when you actively seek out the right spaces or places. I have learned the importance of positioning myself for success. For instance, I learned the importance of attending law school to position myself to become a policy professional one day.
The list above only represents a few of the lessons I have learned from my experience this semester. I am sure I will learn more as I complete this last month at AU. My time at AU has been transformative as I have had to learn how to navigate predominately white spaces, engage with a racially diverse cohort, learn D.C.’s public transportation system, and build new relationships and connections. I have been exposed to career opportunities that I never knew existed. I am eager to return to the AUC and discover how this experience will impact my remaining time at Spelman. The WSP has been an essential part in my journey as I discover how I want to change the world.
