HWS News
30 January 2017 • Alums Alums to Give Insider's Perspective of D.C.
During winter break, 21 students will travel to Washington, D.C. as part of the Colleges' annual Day on the Hill program. Now in its 11th year, the three-day excursion will expose students to a diverse range of careers through a series of panel discussions, site visits and networking opportunities featuring more than 30 HWS alums, parents and friends of the Colleges who are leading careers in governmental organizations, NGOs, non-profits and other institutions across the nation's capital.
“Day on the Hill is a wonderful opportunity for students to blend their academic interests with their career goals,” says Lindsay McGloon, Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education assistant director and pre-law adviser who is helping facilitate the trip. “The program boasts an opportunity for students from all academic majors to learn about a wide variety of career fields.”
Associate Professor of Political Science DeWayne Lucas, Professor of Political Science Iva Deutchman, Assistant Director of Career Services R.J. Rapoza and McGloon will lead the trip which will kick off with a visit to the office of Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen '69 (R-N.J.), L.H.D. '01. Students will then hear from keynote speaker Peyton Craighill '94 who serves as State Department Chief of Opinion Research, Division Chief, Europe & Asia.
Orienting students to work and life both on and off The Hill, the program will continue with a series of themed panel discussions giving alums the opportunity to share their experience breaking into and thriving in a diverse set of politically-oriented careers – from legislative correspondent to social media officer and political fundraiser. Nearly a dozen of the participating alums are former Day on the Hill participants themselves.
“Recent alums to those who have graduated decades ago willingly give of their time to provide students with valuable perspectives and insights, largely because they have been through the process of finding a place in D.C. and they can appreciate the value of an HWS education in making that happen,” Lucas says.
The second day of the trip will take students across Washington to get a look at the inner-workings of some of the most established and important political institutions in the world. Guided by Stuart Hillenbrand '04, an instructor at the Secret Service Academy James J. Rowley Training Center, day two of the trip will begin with a look inside the U.S. Secret Service Headquarters. Students will then break off into two groups based on their career interests.
The first group will visit the Heritage Foundation, guided by distinguished fellow in conservative thought Dr. Lee Edwards, followed by a trip to Story Partners where they will visit with Senior Director Adam Croglia '10, and the State Department where they will meet with Foreign Service Officer David Luna '14 and Recruitment and Outreach Officer Josie Lee.
Focusing on the communications sector, the second group will visit the Ripon Society guided by Lou Zickar P'15, editor of the Ripon Forum Magazine. Students will then tour the newsroom at the Washington Post where they'll also meet with Jennifer Legat '94, human resources director, and Colleen O'Hara '12, national account executive. The final site visit will be a guided tour of the Central Intelligence Agency by CIA Officer Heather Byrne Vieira '95.
Students can also choose to take an optional tour of the White House, led by Hillenbrand.
The panels and their participants include:
Life off the Hill
Hadley Sosnoff '06, partner at The Majority Group; Neil Wakeman '08, presidential management fellow at the Department of Justice; and Jeffrey Werner '91, general manager of international and public policy at Daimler Automotive Group.
Policy and Advocacy
Nancy Amestoy '14, national campus programs manager for RAINN: Rape Abuse & Incest National Network; Kelsey Carroll '14, United Nations Foundation universal access project coordinator; Brian Horn '12, policy director at the U.S. Business Leadership Network; and Allison McCracken '10, national organizer for CODEPINK: Women for Peace.
Working on the Hill
Keith Castaldo '04, general counsel, Offices of Senator Kristen E. Gillibrand (D-N.Y.); Elizabeth Foley '10, legislative assistant to Congresswoman Betty McCulloum (D-MN); Denzel Singletary '13, legislative assistant in the Offices of Senator Kristen E. Gillibrand; and Michele Viterise '09, legislative correspondent to Congressman John Delaney (D-MD).
Elections and Campaigns
Kelly Biggs '11, membership services and planning giving manager for EMILY's List; Dominque Miller '15, political director for the Senate Democrat Campaign Committee; Elizabeth Seidel '13, political fundraiser at Republic Strategies; and Eden Tesfaye '14, director of special projects for the Democratic National Committee.
Sustainable Development
Eleanor Crossan '12, League of Women Voters; Ana Carolina Hoff '15, international recruiter for ACDI VOCA; Colleen “Cole” Judge '05, director of research for the International Downtown Association; and Hannah Wilber '12, social media officer for the African Wildlife Foundation.
Young Alums
Sydney Arsenault '16, contractor for the Department of Homeland Security; Kevin Casey '16, legislative manager for Twin Logic Strategies; Shannon Casey '16, field organizer for Ohio Democratic Party; Hannah Cooper '16, staff assistant for Congressman John Delaney (D-MD); and Samuel Menchel '16, staff assistant for Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.).