Photo by Begum Gokmen/The Choate News
Students in U.S. Government and Politics II gathered in Elman Auditorium on January 31 to attend the first ‘D.C. in Wallingford’ program, in place of the course’s annual trip to Washington, D.C. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the two sections of the class couldn’t make the trip this year, so the HPRSS department decided to recreate the excursion without leaving campus. In previous years, the D.C. trip included tours of the capital’s buildings, meetings with a variety of people in government-oriented careers such as lawmakers, civil servants, political activists, and staff members working in or with the executive branch.
Dr. Ned Gallagher, one of the teachers of U.S. Government and Politics II, noted that the program was supposed to replicate the feeling of the trip. “We lined up people either in person or on Zoom to talk to our kids about careers in government,” he said. “We tried to make sure we had a good representation in terms of the people we talked to, but getting the schedule right was tricky because you’re asking some very busy people to give up time to talk to our kids.” With only about a month to plan and a complex schedule to arrange, Dr. Gallagher and Mr. Jonas Akins, who also teaches US Government and Politics II, arranged a very successful event. U.S. Government and Politics II student Alex Aronov ’22 added, “Zoom calls in Elman were honestly a lot better than you might think, and while it certainly wasn’t to the level of face to face, the Akins-Gallagher duo did a good job in making the whole things feel as authentic as possible.” Along with lectures and Q & A sessions with highly accomplished speakers, the program also included a luncheon in the Sally Hart Lodge.
Mr. Akins was able to use his connections along with Dr. Gallagher’s to bring in five speakers for the program. The first two speakers were Mr. Andrew McCabe P’20 ’22, former Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Dr. Jill McCabe P’20 ’22, a candidate for the Virginia State Senate election in 2015. Students also connected with Mr. Pete Meachum ’91 who has an extensive background in political operations and has assisted in the 2016 Trump presidential campaign, and Mr. Riley O’Connell ’14, a candidate in the 2021 Wallingford mayoral race. The last speaker, Mr. Timothy Barrett, current Assistant Director of National Intelligence and Strategic Communications, was a former colleague of Mr. Akins.
During the program, students were able to delve into the career path of each speaker. Students learned about their early careers, the various obstacles and challenges they’ve faced along the way, and experiences in their respective fields. Dr. Gallagher said, “Mr. Akins and I asked each of the guests to give their stories about how they went from high school students, the age of the kids in the room, to what they ended up doing in terms of how they ended up where they are.” After the speeches, students were able to interact with the speakers in a question and answer session. “I think our kids were very lively,” added Dr. Gallagher. “Some questions were about different policies, others were about career choices and advice they would give, but I think our kids stepped up and asked good questions.”
Students enjoyed the program, coming away from the day with major takeaways. “I liked Mr. McCabe’s comments on turning hardship into success. It stood out to me that no one can really see a path in life and when one encounters a rocky part to be flexible, adapt, and success will come,” said Sophia Bruno ’23. “I also liked when Mr. Barrett emphasized the importance of journalism. It made me have an appreciation for the media I am consuming, and made me analyze who is writing it and what the perspective of the piece is.”
Although students were not able to go on the trip to Washington, D.C., the event was a success, allowing students to have informative conversations with experienced people involved in politics – a career path many students in attendance aspire to pursue.
