Trip to Washington, D.C., Motivates Student to Change Major to Political Science

Chris Fogarty ’21 recently visited Washington, D.C., with his "Power Politics" class and his instructor Dr. Trish Crouse. He says the experience has inspired him to consider a career in policy reform and to pursue a new course of study.

November 14, 2019

By Chris Fogarty ’21

Being a part of the "Power Politics" class allowed me to truly grasp the political atmosphere of Washington, D.C., and the opportunities that this city has to offer. During a recent class trip to our nation’s capital, I had the unique opportunity to meet with Connecticut Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, as well as Daniel Lippman, a Politico reporter who covers the White House, and the assistant director of the Secret Service.

We also visited historic landmarks throughout the city. My favorite part of the trip was visiting the National Archives, where we were fortunate to be able to look at the founding documents of our country, including the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

"Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to help others, and by pursing a future in policy reform, there’s an opportunity to help fix a broken system."Chris Fogarty ’21

Our Founding fathers expected this government to last only 50 years after they established it. More than 240 years later, we still recognize those principles and values as the center of our democracy, no matter who holds office.

We also visited the African American Museum, the Supreme Court, and the Capitol. After visiting these national landmarks, it gave me a new appreciation of the history of our country.

I want to thank Professor Chris Haynes, coordinator of the political science program. He is the one who encouraged me to take this class, which has opened numerous opportunities for me to explore my desire to work on policy reform – specifically, in the prison system.

These experiences gave me a deeper understanding of the inner workings of our political system. This trip inspired me to change my major from criminal justice to political science. Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to help others, and by pursing a future in policy reform, there’s an opportunity to help fix a broken system.