A group of Hampden-Sydney students, faculty, and staff traveled from the Hill of H-SC to the Hill of Washington, D.C. from May 4 to May 7. As part of Leadership in the U.S. Constitutional Republic—INDS 385—taught by Director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest Ryan Pemberton ’00, students spent their days on Capitol Hill socializing with alumni and participating in tours, panels, and discussions that allowed them to envision themselves in careers both within and related to the federal government.
Pemberton stated, “This is yet another example of the strength of our community. Alumni, parents, and friends don’t simply open doors—they get deeply involved in the educational process.”
The students benefitted from engaging discussions during their visit to Capitol Hill, with experts and topics including:
Law
- Ivan Schlager, partner at Kirkland & Ellis in their International Trade and National Security Practice,
- Mark Robertson ’93, special counsel at Kasowitz Benson Torres in the firm’s Government Affairs and Strategic Counsel Group,
Lobbying
Tucker Shumack ’95, principal at Ogilvy Government Relations,- Paul Pisano ’89, senior vice president and general counsel at National Beer Wholesalers Association,
- David Sanders ’01, vice president of government affairs and policy at Coherus BioSciences,
Media
- Israel Ortega, spokesperson at The LIBRE Initiative,
National Security
- Charles McLaughlin, former director for strategic planning at the National Security Council at the White House and former senior advisor to the Office of Policy Planning at U.S. Department of State, and
- Hugo Rodriguez ’88, acting principal deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at U.S. Department of State.