Communication Junket to D.C. Raises ±«ÓătvStudentsâ Awareness of Opportunities in Nationâs Capital
Kathryn Johnson dreams of attending law school and embarking on a career in politics. The opportunity to visit Washington, D.C. and connect with individuals in the government arena could make a considerable impact on her future.
As a child, Alana Magliolo visited the nation’s capital, long before she had developed an interest in American history and politics. The chance to return to the seat of American government and discover opportunities for further training in the field of communication was not to be missed.
Johnson and Magliolo were among 11 Mississippi College students who traveled to Washington, D.C. last fall to visit with ±«Óătvalumni and other professionals, learning about potential internship and employment openings, and finding out how they might influence public policy on a national scale.
Accompanied by Reid Vance, associate professor and chair of communication, and Madison Dean, instructor in communication, nine communication and two political science majors from Mississippi College received an eyewitness account of the interworking of government at the highest level from U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and ±«Óătvalumni in Washington, D.C. A portion of each student’s expense was paid for by contributions from Department of Communication alumni and friends.
“We have a good number of alumni in the Washington area, and several of them have been active in trying to get ±«Óătvstudents to come to D.C. to do internships,” Vance said. “Several of our department alumni who are working up there expressed interest in talking to our students and telling them what work life in Washington is like. We have a scholarship fund that helps students in that endeavor.
“We want to introduce our students to vocational and professional possibilities that they might not otherwise be introduced to. This trip, the first of its kind, was to inform students about opportunities they otherwise might not have considered.”
The students spoke with several professionals, including many Department of Communication alumni, who are working in political campaigns, fundraising, and journalism. They talked with a media representative of the Young America Foundation’s National Journalism Center. They met an employee of the Washington Post who handles social media for the venerable publication. And, at the behest of an ±«Óătvalum who works for the Department of Defense, they toured the Pentagon.
“The students got a broad taste from a public relations, journalism, and public service perspective of some of the opportunities that are out there,” Vance said. “We met with a couple of people every day in an intentional effort at relationship building. They got to see places and do things they had never experienced before.
“It was an eye-opening experience for them.”
Magliolo, a public relations major from Byhalia, found the trip invigorating. She initially saw the storied monuments and museums through the eyes of a 6-year-old; now a senior in college, she was interested to discover internship and career opportunities throughout the city.
“Exploring a new city with endless opportunities for jobs was very exciting,” she said. “The trip was personally inspiring to me since some of the professionals we met with are ±«Óătvalumni. Knowing they were once in our shoes as communication majors who now have prestigious careers in D.C. was very encouraging.
“I felt challenged to keep persevering in my plans to become a communication professional.”
Johnson enjoyed touring the capitol, visiting major monuments, witnessing the “changing of the guard” at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and touring the Pentagon. Her favorite activity was getting a library card and perusing the stacks in the Library of Congress.
“The connections and networking were incredible,” said Johnson, a junior public relations and political science major from Ruth. “We met many people who took lots of their time to talk to us about their profession. Almost everyone we met was extremely gracious and generous with their time.
“I would like to work at D.C. one day after graduating from law school.”
Magliolo said the tour of the Pentagon was unforgettable.
“Observing how the Pentagon functions day-by-day was surprising,” she said. “Seeing the different businesses, restaurants, and amenities located inside the building, in addition to the endless corridors of offices, was unexpected.
“We toured the press briefing room and met with some of the Department of Defense staff. Learning more about what takes place in the defense headquarters was exciting.”
Vance said the visit was so beneficial to the group of students that the Department of Communication will look to return to D.C. in the fall and may make the trip available to ±«Óătvstudents of any major.
“The feedback was really good, and the students responded in the way we wanted them to,” he said.
“A couple of the students who went with us are probably going to wind up doing internships in D.C. Many of the others said they never knew Washington, D.C., was a career option for them.
“One student even said the trip confirmed that D.C. is not a good choice for him, and that’s fine, too. We have a lot of students at Mississippi College who need to be exposed to opportunities outside of what they already know. The trip was designed to pique their curiosity, and it helped them clarify what their future vocation might be.”
Were the trip to be offered to ±«Óătvstudents next fall, Magliolo has a two-word suggestion: “Take it.”
“The trip to D.C. gave us ample opportunity to gain a firsthand perspective of what it is like to live in D.C. and work in communication-related career fields,” she said. “The experience gained on the trip is beyond what you can learn in the classroom.”
“If a student gets to the end of their experience at Mississippi College and they still don’t know vocationally what path they want to take, that’s our fault as a university,” Vance said. “We’ve got to do as good of a job as possible to make sure that students are introduced to a broad scope of opportunities to serve and to make an impact in the world of work.
“This trip was our department’s effort, in part, to do that.”
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