Scholars on the Hill
College Park Scholars
"Scholars on the Hill" is one of the Civic Engagement opportunities offered in College Park Scholars that allows students to visit nearby Washington, D.C. and examine the federal government in action.
This event series began as a joint effort between The Office of the President of Federal Relations, the Alumni Association, and College Park Scholars, in the fall of 2003. Because of initial success, Scholars received a grant from the Dean of Undergraduate Studies to continue and expand Scholars on the Hill to have one trip each semester.
Since its inception, Scholars have:
Traveled to Capitol Hill twice and spoke with Maryland Congressman Chris VanHollen and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer;
Received tours of the Capitol and witnessed key debates on the House Floor;
Explored the Federal Department of Commerce and had the rare opportunity to go into the Secretary's office;
Visited the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), met with key officers and learned about career tracks and PTO systems and processes;
Went to laboratories and saw exciting machinery used at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
On each trip, students have made valuable networking contacts and assisted the University in locating numerous alumni working on the Hill. With each event, "Scholars on the Hill" reaches more students, allowing them to experience the federal government and learn that their government is open to them and that their voices can be heard.
Upcoming Trips:
October 3, 2008
All Scholars students interested in where biology and technology converge should take advantage of the upcoming tour of the MATC facility at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. MATC is the Military Advanced Technology Center, at which doctors and other rehabilitative medicine professionals enable service members to adopt prosthetic limbs. Their goal is to return the service members to their status, prior to injury, as "tactical athletes."
The tour occurs on Friday, October 3rd and is funded by the College Park Scholars' "Scholars On the Hill" program, and is free and open to all Scholars students, regardless of their program. Buses leave from campus at 10:00 a.m. and return at 2:00 p.m. Registration is required by Friday, September 26, 2008, so check your calendar now and respond to Dr. Betsy Mendelsohn, Director of the Science, Technology and Society program, should you wish to participate.
Past Trips:
November 2, 2007
On Friday November 2, 2007, the second installment of the fall 2007 semester of Scholars on the Hill took place at the State Department in Washington D.C.
The trip included an informational session about the State Department, as well as a chance to explore the District.
Students interacted with government officials to refine their understanding of how policy develops from an abstract concept to a real activity. The event also exposed students to possible career opportunities, said Mike McDonald, assistant director of International Studies.
The day began with students and faculty taking a bus from campus to the State Department at around 1 p.m. Attendees had an opportunity to listen to a session on U.S. counter-terrorism policy given by Marc Norman, Deputy Director of Regional Affairs in the Office of the Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism at the State Department building. Students were able to ask the speakers’ interns questions.
Following the counter-terrorism session, students heard from Steven Dyokas and Shawn Gray, both political officers in the Office of European Union and Regional Affairs. The speakers addressed U.S. and European Union Relations.
The trip concluded as buses brought the group back to campus, and the day turned out to be a great success.October 19, 2007
On Friday October 19, 2007, College Park Scholars traveled to Capitol Hill for the first event in the semester’s Scholars on the Hill series.
Advocates for Children sponsored the event and students on the trip met with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman. The group began their day at the office of Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) where they met with staffers who talked about their daily functions and goals, including the "Head Start Program,"
Students and faculty then walked to the Solar Decathlon Houses on the National Mall where they spoke with Hoyer and Bodman. Together they toured the University of Maryland LEAFHouse and students had the opportunity to vote for the campus' entrant. After a lunch break, students met in Hoyer's office to learn about its inner workings from his staff.
February 27, 2007
On February 27th, 2007, students from Science, Discovery and the Universe as well as other Scholars students had the opportunity to visit the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Students were given an exciting tour where they were able to see World Class Force Calibration machines, a Coordinate Measuring Machine, and a slide show of how to conduct a model fire without getting burned.
One highlight of the trip was seeing the World Class Calibration Machine which can calibrate up to a million pounds! The machine itself is made of metal and weighs one million pounds. Students were also able to see a piece of the World Trade Center where one of the planes actually hit the building. The thick metal posts all twisted up as if they were just pieces of paper was an unbelievable sight. In addition, students saw a Coordinate Measuring Machine, which is extremely sensitive to temperature, light, vibrations, and even people being in the room. The room where this machine is kept is 40 feet underground to prevent vibrations from causing inaccurate measurements. The machine can be used to measures things such as an engine for a car and various other 3D objects.
Lastly, students met someone from the Fire Research Division and Building and Fire Research Laboratory who presented a slide show on Smokeview, a tool developed by NIST for visualizing fire and smoke flow dynamics by the Fire Dynamics Simulator. The simulator allows individuals to tour an object such as a house that experienced a fire, see 3D smoke animations and particle and slice animations such as temperature, water, heat release rate, and gas velocity. With the software, equations can be solved to determine the smoke and heat transport rate from fires.
September 29, 2006
On September 29th, 2006 Scholars students returned to Capitol Hill for yet another successful event! Students were given a tour of the Capitol Building, and even had the chance to visit the gallery and watch votes being made on the House floor. Students also had the opportunity to hear firsthand about working for the federal government and the many opportunities that are available for students to intern in all of the different offices. Caroline Cowan, the Staff Assistant in the Democratic Whip's Office, Alon Kupferman, the Legislative Director in Congressman Albert Wynn's Office, and Johanna Berkson, the Office Director in Congressman Chris Van Hollen's Office all spoke to the student's about their experiences on the Hill, and how they ended up where they are now. They were eager to answer all of the student's questions, and Mr. Kupferman and Ms. Berkson were able to further connect with the students as fellow Terps. To conclude the day, students enjoyed a complimentary meal at the ESPN Zone. The students who attended seemed to really enjoy the experience and they were especially able to benefit by making contacts for internships and future experience working for the federal government.
One student participant commented, "I just wanted to thank you for such a great opportunity at the Hill. I had an awesome time and learned a lot. I am interested in applying for an internship."
October 7, 2005
On October 7, 2005, "Scholars on the Hill" visited the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia. The staff at the USPTO had many interesting activities planned for our students, and were very enthusiastic about our being there. The participants were able to get a lot out of the trip. We were able to talk first-hand with many of the USPTO employees, including the Commissioner for Patents, a Supervisory Patent Examiner, and a Senior Staff Attorney. Each presenter shared information with the participants on how they made it to their positions, and what students needed to do to pursue similar careers. Talking with these employees was extremely beneficial to the students who could ask questions and gain perspective into some very interesting jobs. We were also able to visit many different areas of the USPTO including the Patent Search Facility, a Universal Public Workstation, the Scientific and Technical Information Center, and the USPTO museum. We even had the opportunity to talk with University of Maryland alumni who now work at the USPTO, including a young alumni of College Park Scholars. The experience was very beneficial and enjoyable for all who attended!
April 21, 2005
On Thursday April 21, 2005, College Park Scholars returned to Capitol Hill for the third Scholars on the Hill event. Each semester Scholars collaborates with the Office of the President to travel to Washington D.C. to witness and explore aspects of our federal government which, in the past, have included federal agencies and Congress. This semester twenty Scholars had the opportunity to help the Maryland Alumni Association and Office of the President Federal Relations in their ongoing project to canvass Congressional offices for Maryland alumni working on the Hill. In addition students received a tour of the Capitol from members of Congressman Steny Hoyer's staff and bumped into Congressman Elijah Cummings of Baltimore. The highlight of the event was the chance to speak with Congressman and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer who spoke to students about his experiences in public service, his role as a Congressman as well as his role in party leadership. In addition, he stressed the importance of being involved in politics and being active in the local community. Before leaving participants had the rare opportunity to witness a floor session of the House of Delegates from the gallery debating the Energy Bill. Students returned to campus with a renewed dedication to civic engagement and deeper understanding of public service.
December 3, 2004
On December 3, 2004, College Park Scholars visited the U.S. Department of Commerce. Students had the opportunity to tour the agency, and were also able to speak to department officials and Maryland alumni who work for the department. Students also had the chance to stop at the White House while we were in Washington. This was a great experience for Scholars, and the students really benefited from taking advantage of this unique opportunity.
October 17, 2003
On October 17, 2003, close to 50 Scholars and 5 Civicus students arrived on Capitol Hill to reconnect with Maryland Alumni that work on the Hill. Students administered surveys and found approximately 100 Alumni. In addition to locating alumni, students toured the Capitol and were able to witness the vote on the House Resolution to recommit support to Iraq and Afghanistan. After the tour, former Public Leadership Scholar Erica Rossi, now of Steny Hoyer's Office shared thoughts on her undergraduate and professional career. Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland's District XIII also spoke about the importance of civic engagement. The day was a success and all participants left with a renewed commitment to involvement in the legislative process.
Student Reflection on "Scholars on the Hill"
Though I had been interested in politics since my first days at the University of Maryland, the Scholars on the Hill program was my first opportunity to visit Capitol Hill and interact with Congress members and their staff. We met with Congressman Chris Van Hollen and his Chief of Staff, Kay Casstevens.
Following the program, I applied for, and received an internship in Congressman Van Hollen's office. I currently am serving in my second Congressional internship, this time with the Senate Judiciary Committee.
These internships have been invaluable to me and have been essential to my education. Scholars on the Hill gave me my first opportunity to observe the legislative process first-hand and provided me with the information necessary to seek a Congressional internship.
Dave Ginensky,
Media, Self & Society Citation Scholar
Federal Semester at the University of Maryland
The Federal Semester gives students a close look at the formation of federal policy in Washington. Beginning with a seminar, students will learn about the creation and application of federal policy in a topical area. Using this seminar as the cornerstone for the program- and two additional courses- students will take the knowledge they gain in the classroom and apply it through a policy internship in the federal government or a related organization.
Learn about Federal Policy and then get involved for yourself. The Fall 2006 program will focus on health policy, an issue that affects us all. Students from all majors are encouraged to apply but space is limited - so don't wait.
To learn more and apply go to: http://www.federalsemester.umd.edu
Relevant Links
UM Career Center Internship Information
Locate and Contact your Congressman
Internship in Senator Barbara Mikulski's Office
Internship in Senator Paul Sarbanes' Office
Internship in Congressman Steny Hoyer's Office
Internship in Congressman Chris Van Hollen's Office
For more information about "Scholars on the Hill" and other civic engagement programs within College Park Scholars please contact:
Greig Stewart
Executive Director
College Park Scholars
1125 Cumberland Hall
gstewart@umd.edu
