With the announcement of the 2025 First Year Book as The Constitution of the United States, College Park Scholars set a course to make one of the nation's founding documents spring to life. What better way than a day trip to the place where the document was signed!
Many of our Scholars had not visited the City of Brotherly Love before or were very young on their first trips to Philadelphia. Now armed with some understanding of the founding of the United States, they were eager to dig in. "I have never been to Philadelphia before and I want to learn more about a city that is so important in American history," said JaeMin Thurman, a Life Sciences Scholar. "I also want to continue to build relationships with other Scholars students."
Thanks to a surprising lack of traffic, the group arrived in Center City Philadelphia ahead of schedule, allowing for a stretch break and a couple of rounds of frisbee. The group then settled in for its 75-minute guided walking tour that took them by the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and nearly 20 other sites associated with the founding of this country.
With an early morning departure, the group of freshmen, hailing from 10 of the 13 Scholars programs, and chaperones boarded the Maryland-branded motorcoach with coffees in hand. After a rousing sendoff from Executive Director Marilee Lindemann, the group of 50 headed out on their 130-mile trek to Philadelphia.
Thanks to a surprising lack of traffic, the group arrived in Center City Philadelphia ahead of schedule, allowing for a stretch break and a couple of rounds of frisbee. The group then settled in for its 75-minute guided walking tour that took them by the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and nearly 20 other sites associated with the founding of the United States.
I learned a lot about the Liberty Bell. I thought it was very interesting how it wasn’t originally named the Liberty Bell, but instead it got its “liberty” part of the name by certain movements adopting the bell as their symbol, like abolitionist and women’s suffrage movements.
The walking tour worked up a collective appetite, and the city explorers visited the historic Reading Terminal for lunch. An improvised 'best sandwich' contest erupted and the group's GroupMe chat was soon filled with mouth-watering shots of Philly cheesesteaks, street dogs, and other delicious bites.
After lunch, the Scholars were given an opportunity to 'Choose their Own Adventure' to fill out the rest of their afternoon. Members of the group scattered, exploring other parts of Olde City Philadelphia, including stops at the Philadelphia Magic Gardens, the Science Institute, the Independence Visitor Center, and an animal shelter. And of course, a group of fashionable students headed out in search of shopping deals. Students were even able to see democracy in action with a rally and protest march happening blocks away.
From this experience, I learned that the Constitution didn’t just appear out of nowhere. People argued and worked hard to put it together. Seeing where it all happened in Philadelphia made it feel more real instead of just something from a textbook.
The group loaded the bus to head back to College Park after dusk, buzzing with as much excitement as they had on their way North with new friends and new adventures now under their belts. As the Scholars settled in for the return trip, many reflected on the impact of the day trip.
From making connections to the Broadway musical Hamilton to learning more about Benjamin Franklin to seeing the home of seamstress Betsy Ross and learning that Philadelphia served as the first capital of the fledgling United States, the students shared deep
I learned about the importance of Philadelphia to the foundation of America as the first capital. We walked to different buildings of significance, walking through the history of America from rebellion to the development of a new nation to the end of slavery and to a brighter future for Black and women's rights and innovation.