Julia Mascarenhas ‘29 and Alana Hogan ‘29 in front of the U.S. Capitol.
From the grandeur of Capitol Hill to the intimacy of a small community museum, students experienced the full range of Washington, D.C., during a Fall Break trip full of iconic backdrops, interdisciplinary learning, and valuable networking opportunities.
Sponsored and fully-funded through the Kenyon Keys program, the free four-day visit took 45 students and five faculty to the nation’s capital from Oct. 8-11.
The trip’s broad, interdisciplinary itinerary was essential to achieving the goals of Kenyon Keys, a strategic initiative launched this year to deepen how students connect their work and intellectual passions to hands-on experience on and off campus, allowing them to explore post-Kenyon careers and graduate opportunities.
“It’s a gamechanger for us in terms of helping students see the connection between the liberal arts, the real world and possible careers,” said Wendy Singer, special assistant to the president for strategic initiatives and partnerships and Roy T. Wortman Distinguished Professor of History, who took part in the trip. “The idea is that Kenyon is not just what we do on (campus). Kenyon is what Kenyon faculty and students do wherever they are.”
There were visits to the Capitol and Library of Congress and group projects at two Smithsonian museums. Students mingled with more than 100 alumni at a special networking reception, and a panel discussion featured three graduates working in the political world who discussed their varying career trajectories: David Mastrangelo ’09, senior advisor to a New York congressman; Laura Vazquez ’99, director of immigrant integration at the nonprofit UnidosUS; and Willa Lerner ’18, a policy and research officer at the Embassy of Ireland.
“None of them were lawyers, so they all conveyed that you don’t have to be a lawyer to work in D.C.,” said Nancy Powers, associate director of the Center for the Study of American Democracy and an assistant professor of political science who organized the trip. “Students really heard that there are lots of majors and paths that can lead you in unexpected directions, and you don’t have to figure it all out ahead of time. They also heard loud and clear that Kenyon alumni are there for you.”
There was an educational element to the trip as well, facilitated by faculty from the history, political science and sociology departments who led visits to the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Anacostia Community Museum, a small museum that documents and preserves communities’ memories, struggles and successes. Students broke up into small groups at each location to discuss and answer questions, and they presented their findings to each other after returning to Gambier.
“Our overarching theme was America 250: Whose stories are told? Whose stories aren’t told? How does the story of America vary by who’s telling the story?” Powers said.
For Kevin Yang ’30, a freshman from China, the trip was his first opportunity to visit a major U.S. city. And while he enjoyed seeing the sights — including a night tour of the National Mall — what really blew him away were the alumni he met, some of whom jumpstarted their own careers with help from other Kenyon graduates in Washington.
“They gave me a new perspective on many things,” he said. “Talking with them gave me a positive feeling about how Kenyon can help you in the long-term and how the experience at Kenyon really stuck with them, even all these years after they graduated.”
Rebecca Idowu ’30, of Columbus, is considering going to law school. The insights she received from alumni on her possible career path were helpful, she said, as was the experience of visiting museums in the company of faculty.
“It was insightful seeing whose stories are being represented and how they are being represented,” Idowu said.
And getting to know her fellow students better along the way was priceless, she continued.
“It’s kind of difficult being vulnerable with people you don’t know, but over time everyone assimilated towards each other and was really open to talking and really sharing their insights, even if other people might disagree.”
Kenyon Keys programming is funded in part from a $25 million gift from Matthew Voorhees ’95, chair of Kenyon’s board of trustees, and several other donors to the Third Century Founders initiative to connect interdisciplinary learning with hands-on experiences to equip students to tackle the challenges of today.
The trip to Washington incorporated two of the Keys’ six themes: Democracy & Publics, and Global & Local. Another trip sponsored by Kenyon Keys will take place over Thanksgiving Break when students travel with faculty to Atlanta to visit sites related to the civil rights movement.
