Students from Columbia College Attend Political Seminar in DC
Students get an inside look into the 2012 presidential campaign

See the group's travel blog here: http://ccgoestowashington.blogspot.com

WASHINGTON, DC :  As the nation turned their attention to the Iowa Caucuses, the New Hampshire primary and the 2012 presidential hopefuls, 20 students from Columbia College traveled to Washington, DC to learn about politics from the nation’s capital and political epicenter. The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars presented the Inside Washington seminar, “Politics in the Media” from January 8–14, 2012.

“The Inside Washington seminars offer an unparalleled opportunity to sit in the same room with legendary journalists, noted politicians and other experts that have their pulse on the presidential 2012 campaign,” said Mike Smith, president of The Washington Center. “Columbia College is giving their students access to the center of the political process, as it’s happening now and as history is being made.”
The seminar provides firsthand experience and perspective into campaign 2012 through a combination of lectures from prominent guest speakers, panel discussions, site visits and small group dialogues. Columbia College students will hear directly from the journalists covering the 2012 elections, leaders of special interest groups and other DC insiders. Several of the speakers include:

Mike McCurry, Former White House Press Secretary
Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform
Ann Compton, Chief White House Correspondent, ABC News
Governor Howard Dean, M.D., Former Governor of VT, Presidential Candidate, DNC Chairman,
   and Founder of Democracy For America
John Harwood, Chief Washington Correspondent, CNBC
Clarence Page, Columnist, Chicago Tribune
Brian Lamb, President/CEO, C-SPAN
Sam Donaldson, ABC News

Students will also visit a variety of historic sites in Washington, DC.

Inside Washington is part of The Washington Center’s Campaign 2012 Academic Seminar Series. Next up in the series is the Republication National Convention Seminar and the Democratic National Convention Seminar. Both will take place on-site at the official conventions held in Tampa, FL and Charlotte, NC, offering students the opportunity to participate in lectures, panels, tours, site visits and fieldwork assignments. For more information visit www.twc.edu/campaign2012.

Since The Washington Center first offered campaign seminars in 1984, more than 6,000 college students have participated in the programs.

About The Washington Center
The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars is an independent, nonprofit organization that serves hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States and other countries by providing selected students challenging opportunities to work and learn in Washington, D.C., for academic credit. The largest program of its kind, The Washington Center has more than 50,000 alumni who have become leaders in numerous professions and nations around the world. It was established in 1975. For more information visit: www.twc.edu.