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Volume 37 No.10
Mar. 01 - Mar. 14, 2002
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Student leaders travel to Washington D.C.
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      This March, the College will sponsor five student leaders, a caretaker and an advisor for a trip to the nation's capital where they will attend a four-day conference with students from various parts of the country and members of Congress.

      Originally, only two positions were open for students to travel to D.C. -- the minimum required for attending the conference workshops. However, the Budget Committee elected to allow four additional students, at the cost of $1400 per person, to attend.. The interview committee who selected the students that will be taking the trip, expanded the openings one more slot by recommending that the total budget be raised to $11,200 for the trip. This allowed for a fifth additional student and a caretaker to travel to D.C. as well.

      The interview committee consisted of the D.C. group's advisor, two student senators and a member of the Women's Center staff.

      "Our goal is to be fiscally conservative, but the senate saw this as overwhelmingly beneficial to the school," said SBA Treasurer Emily Burt. "The goal in sending more people is to educate the campus."

      The elected student leaders will be attending the American Student Association of Community Colleges (ASACC) conference from March 22 -26 in hopes of attracting the attention of some elected officials and members of the presidential cabinet.

      "I am excited about representing Shoreline students when we meet with members of Congress on issues of access to education," said Annabelle Udom, one of the selected six students who will be traveling to D.C.

      Some hope to gain an educational experience out of the trip while at the same time practicing their leadership skills in student advocacy.

      "It's what I love to do," said Burt, who is also a member of the selected student group. "I see it as a learning opportunity and a chance to meet people I admire."

      Besides a form of representation for the College, the trip will provide a prime opportunity for the students to develop their lobbying and leadership skills.

      "It will empower student leaders to bring their leadership to the next level," said Michele Cruver, Coordinator of Student Programs and advisor of the D.C. group.

      The student group hopes to return to campus with original ideas and creative solutions to many of the monetary challenges the College is facing, as well as with the knowledge that they made an impact on the minds of those who control the flow of money towards higher education.

      "I want our members of Congress to know how much Shoreline students value education and that we need support from our elected leaders." Udom said.

      Udom cited financial aid, PELL grants, child care, work-study and Employee Educational Assistance as issues she hopes to raise during the conference.

      Burt hopes to gather information and search for solutions from other community college student leaders who may be facing budget woe.

      "I think that it is important to keep on top of not just the local government but also look at what other schools are doing," Burt said.

      After their visit to D.C., the group will be relaying information gathered from the trip to the College faculty and student body.

      "I get to turn around and educate other members of the campus on what I learned," Burt said. "My goal is to meet a large portion of the campus population."

      Senators Paul Wellstone (D-MN) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) are just a couple of prominent government officials who will be attending the conference and be available for one-on-one discussions with students. The conference will be comprised of workshops, tours and socials for students to interact and collaborate with congressmen in scourging for solutions to difficult problems community colleges across the nation face.

      For the six students selected for the trip, they view the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with much anticipation.

      "I'll appreciate this more than the time I went to D.C. in junior high -- that's for sure," Burt said.

      BSU to visit DC, Virginia

      While the College's student leaders are engaged in the ASACC conference, the Black Student Union will be touring Virginia and Washington, D.C. from March 23 - 28.

      According to the Ernest Johnson, the advisor for the eight-student group heading off to the east coast, the BSU plans to first visit some of the historically black colleges in Virginia, including Hampton University. They also hope to visit Williamsburg, Jamestown and historical plantations.

      While in D.C., the BSU plans to tour Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia, as well as the Holocaust Museum, the Frederick Douglas Museum and the African American museum at the Smithsonian.

      "It will be familiarizing students with historically black colleges and allow them to get first hand information on African American history in the east coast," Johnson said.

      Because most of the eight students have never visited the D.C. area before, Johnson hopes to provide the students with "a chance for gaining firsthand knowledge and making the decision to attend a historically black college a realistic option for the students."

      After the trip, he BSU will return with information they can present to the student body through a presentation they plan to prepare.

      "One of our goals is to allow students to experience D.C. without actually going there," Johnson said.

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by Chris Collins

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