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Four Schar School learning communities recently kicked off the academic year with a day in Washington, D.C. With the help of Learning Community Directors Jennifer N. Victor, Eric McGlinchey, Shea Holman, and Mariely Lopez-Santana, students in the First-Year Democracy Lab, International Relations Task Force, Jurisprudence, and Pillars of Research enjoyed building connections and making memories by visiting various monuments on the National Mall, having lunch, and taking a boat tour on the Potomac River. First-Year Democracy Lab students had their own session; International Relations Task Force, Jurisprudence, and Pillars of Research held a session jointly. The evening prior, members of the Upper-Level Democracy Lab, led by Director Lucas Núñez, gathered, ate tacos, and talked about what they could expect in the coming year, including trips to Washington, D.C. and special events.
“We got to chat with our fellow colleagues and our professor,” said Georges Saade, a sophomore international security and law major in the Upper-Level Democracy Lab Learning Community. “Professor Núñez is very kind and he said if we need any help even outside his class, we can always come to him. Knowing that I have him as a resource is pretty helpful for my academic year.”
Afsana Ahmadi, a sophomore government and international politics major and a member of the Pillars of Research Learning Community, said the tour around Washington, D.C., helped her gain a much better understanding of how research institutions and policy work together in real-life settings.
“Visiting the National Mall, knowing history, and engaging in team-building activities at the FDR monument showed me the importance of collaboration and critical thinking in research,” she said. “The boat ride to Georgetown was also a unique experience that helped foster connections with my peers, making me feel more confident about applying these lessons in both my studies and future career in policy.”
Emilee Duffy, Assistant Director of Student Engagement at the Schar School, who helped plan the orientation sessions, said they were a great bonding experience for the students.
