Political Science Junior Fellows Take Historic Inaugural Trip

Press Release

Huntsville, TX: January 10, 2009—The Political Science Junior Fellows will embark on a historic tour of the Southeastern United States on January 17, 2009, culminating in attendance at the 2009 Presidential Inauguration. The trip will take the students through ten states, Washington, DC and the historic inauguration of the first African American President in United States History. "This is a chance to see history in the making," noted Megan Bryant, President of the Political Science Junior Fellows.

Over the course of their six-day trip, the students will visit:

• The Louisiana State Capitol Building
• The Site of the Huey Long Assassination
• The Alabama State Capitol Building
• The Civil Rights Museum in Montgomery, AL
• The Jimmy Carter Presidential Museum
• The Georgia State Capitol Building
• The Martin Luther King, JR gravesite
• Montpelier, VA, the home of James Madison
• Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington
• Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson
• The major monuments and memorials in Washington, DC
• The Mississippi State Capitol Building
• The Medgar Evers' Home

Owing to costs, the students elected to drive and, while few are looking forward to forty-six hours on the road, they chose to make the most of the opportunity to see historic sites to and from Washington, DC. “I’m excited about the historic value of this experience, said Blake Roach. “It’s a wonderful opportunity. It’s especially interesting because the trip builds on some of the organization’s previous trips. In the past we have seen the Brown v. Board of Education Museum, Little Rock Central High, and the National Civil Rights Museum. We'll have the chance to see the MLK gravesite, the spot where Rosa Parks was arrested, and Medgar Evers' home. We feel very fortunate to be part of this process."

In all four students will take the journey to Washington, DC. In addition to Bryant and Roach, Justin Veillon and Chris Rahlwes will also take advantage of this opportunity. Professor Mike Yawn will be leading the trip.

The Political Science Junior Fellows have undertaken seventy-eight out-of-town field trips since their creation three years ago. In the process, they have attended speeches and lectures by figures as diverse as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani; former President Bill Clinton, scientist Stephen Hawking, tennis player Chris Evert; author Douglas Brinkley, actor Alan Alda, former White House Counsel John Dean, CNN analyst Bill Schneider; actress Teri Hatcher; astronaut Eileen Collins; and baseball player Jeff Bagwell, among others. They have also visited eleven states, Washington, DC, seven state capitols, six presidential libraries, and more than a hundred national historic sites. In addition to travel, they have hosted numerous educational opportunities on campus and in the local community.

Following their trip to Washington, DC, the Political Science Junior Fellows will partner with the City of Huntsville to provide a citizenship preparatory course, host a fundraiser for the YMCA and the John Holcombe Scholarship Fund, and present an art exhibit featuring historic and contemporary photographs of Huntsville, TX.

When not travelling and hosting public projects, the Political Science Junior Fellows volunteer at the HEARTS Veterans Museum, the Wynne Home, and assist Huntsville's Promise in various events. The members devote more volunteer time, per member, than any organization at SHSU while taking a full academic load. The average GPA of the seven members is 3.68. For more information, go to www.shsu.edu/org_psjf or contact President Megan Bryant at 713-859-3756.