The Stennis-Motgomery Association sent 29 students and four advisers to Washington, D.C., where they met with major Washington players and Mississipip State University graduates.
The SMA is a non-partisan group of students interested in politics and is made up of Republicans and Democrats from many majors.
The trip was organized by Stennis Institute of Government head Marty Wiseman as a way for students at MSU to go to D.C. to get internships and jobs and learn about the workings of the government through a hands-on approach with the congressmen, said Matt Holmes, a member of the group.
“I felt the SMA trip to Washington was very informative and was an excellent opportunity to network with people who are interested in political careers,” said MSU student and Starkville Alderman Richard Corey. “It’s also an excellent chance to meet MSU alumni who are now living and working in D.C. and to hear from them what it’s like,” he said.
The group heard from speakers on the recent judiciary committee’s selections for the Supreme Court, heard from two potential presidential prospects and had several members from both parties speak on the general topic of the day they attended, said Stennis-Montgomery Association President Edward Sanders.
When meeting with the members of the Republican National committee, students heard about their special youth campaign, learned what they do in Washington and learned about the inner workings of that party, Holmes said.
The Democratic National Committee talked about developing a policy to try and unite the party, especial since they’ve released their Six-point Plan, which deals with homeland security and focuses on unifying the party as well as getting a more organized message, he said.
“The trip was very fair because we got to see both the RNC and the DNC headquarters and got to experience the range of political views,” he said.
The group also had a surprise meeting with Howard Dean, the chairman for the Democratic National Committee, who was with executive director Tom McMahon, Sanders said. They talked about the direction the party is taking for the 2006-08 elections, he said.
The group also met with some of the Stennis-Montgomery Association’s former members who have gone on to work at the White House, including Page Austin, who wasn’t interested in politics at first but was turned on to it by attending some of the Stennis-Montgomery meetings. She worked in Washington interning for Trent Lott and is now an assistant for the First Lady, said Holmes.
“This is my fourth trip to Washington, and the most informative thing I listened to was the briefing from the Chief Council of the Judiciary Committee who told us some insight into the personalities of the Supreme Court justice nominees at the time,” Sanders said. “That was something we had never done before,” he said.
About seven years ago, Wiseman and a few other MSU alumni came to the conclusion that MSU is under represented in Washington and the political area in general, so they decided to found the Stennis-Montgomery Association to increase the visibility of MSU students in government and politics, Sanders said.
This association is open to all students who are interested in politics, but one can’t just stop the office and get to go on the trip. There is a point system set up where points are given for involvement in things such as helping out with events the group holds, and attending meetings or speakers. The top point earners get a chance to go, said Corey.