College Leaders

College Leaders Program Class of 2009
Day 18—Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Reported by: Michele Alexander, University of Mary Washington

I love Washington, DC. I always will and always have. Call it bias because I have grown up around the city my entire life, or call it a love for beautiful architecture and historic monuments— but mainly just call it a love for the political buzz that surrounds the city.
     The Nation’s Capital is like a beehive that is ever growing and changing as each part is intricate to its design and function, from the structures keeping it together to its inhabitants. Today, we got to witness this constant motion of activity as we stepped through the doors of the Capitol Building into the world of national politics.
     Our first stop was to be greeted by Bob Gibson’s daughter, Logan, who took us through the building. We passed through the Dome Room with its amazing frescos and gorgeous ceiling and went straight to the Senate chamber where we got to see politics in action as Senator John McCain discussed healthcare reforms on the Senate floor (which was pretty cool, I must say).
     After seeing Senator McCain speak (and catching a glimpse of Senator Joe Lieberman), we were ushered onto our next destination – a meeting with Alfonso Lopez, who basically serves as Governor Kaine’s voice up in Washington. Mr. Lopez answered every question we threw his way with a grin and wit, keeping the excited mood spreading throughout our class alive. Mr. Lopez’s act appeared to be a hard one to follow, but Senator Jim Webb kept the momentum going as he spoke to the class.
     Lunch was next in the Senate cafeteria for what seemed like five minutes and then onto our next stop: a photo op with Senator Mark Warner and surprise visitor Senator Mark Begich from Alaska! A couple of us stayed after (even though we were being told by April to get a move on) to get pics with Senator Warner which was exciting – I guess you could say some of us got a little star struck!
     After the photo ops, we were onto our last parts of the day: back-to-back meetings with Virginia’s House Representatives throughout the Capitol building and its offices. First for the afternoon was Congressman Bob Goodlatte followed by Congressman Jim Moran. Next was Congressman Tom Perriello, who brought with him a fresh vivacity and breadth for the position he was elected to this past November. Sorensen grad Brian Diffle spoke next and was later followed by another Sorensen grad, Jamie Lockhart, who helped to show us where in politics a program like this can take us. Congressman Frank Wolf spoke next and taught us that as politicians we must fulfill the Constitution’s closing line of “[pledging] our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor” to our nation. Congressman Rob Whittman concluded the day by instilling in us the ideal that we are all here to serve and there is no better reason than that to enter the realm of politics.
     As we boarded the bus to travel back to Charlottesville and settled into watching Meet the Fockers (as we had watched Meet the Parents on the way to DC), our tired faces could not hide the lessons we learned and the memories we made as we traversed the Capitol’s sacred halls and meeting rooms. As for me, I cannot wait to go back to the city I love and will continue to immerse myself in the politics that keep it alive.

—Michele Alexander, University of Mary Washington
 

College Leaders Program Class of 2009
Day 16—Sunday, June 14, 2009
Reported by: Mallory Johnson, College of William and Mary

The Sorensen CLP took a mini-break to the lake today!  After waking up at a leisurely hour, everyone got their bathing suits, sunscreen, and flip flops, ate a quick lunch at the dorm, and hit the road for a trip to Mint Springs in Crozet, VA.  One of the most beautiful driving routes is between Charlottesville and Crozet- the Blue Ridge Mountains are in full view and the countryside is dotted with rolling hills and green pastures.  We arrived and headed down to the beach for some swimming, tanning, and water frisbee.  I was treated to a dunk in the water by a group of gentlemen (though I forgot to pack a bathing suit when coming to Sorensen, I fortunately brought a change of clothes today) which was quite refreshing.  Once we had our fill of sand and sun, we headed up to the picnic pavilion where we had watermelon and roasted marshmallows for some good old fashion s’mores.  After stuffing ourselves, we worked off the energy at the playground.  No matter the age, the zip line, monkey bars, and crawling tunnels are still a lot of fun.
     We headed back to UVa and, being exhausted from the sun, took short naps until dinner.  The day was not over, though- with an impending literature review due tomorrow, our issue groups went into full work mode.  Though usually loud and social, the second floor of Bice was unusually quiet with nearly every CLP participant writing, researching, or meeting with their advisers to ensure that the 8-15 page report was of top quality.
     It’s hard to believe that we’re half-way through CLP- it seems just yesterday we were moving in and getting to know one another on the ropes course at Poplar Ridge.  As cliché as it sounds, the bonds we’ve formed have made us into sort of a family.  I have a strong feeling that the friendships we’ve made will not dissipate once the program ends.  As one of the Program Managers said, once in Sorensen, always in Sorensen!

—Mallory Johnson, College of William and Mary

College Leaders Program Class of 2009
Day 15—Saturday, June 13, 2009
Reported by: Joshua Owens, George Mason University

Today was not unlike any other: filled with qualified speakers, good ideas and healthy discussion; however in many ways today was far from ordinary. We met a bit earlier than usual at a different location with new people. As we strolled through the doors of the lecture hall at 8:30am, we found our seats based on the chalkboard's instruction to “Sit with someone outside your program.” The special guests were participants from the Political Leaders Program. It was great having professional adult versions of ourselves around. It was especially refreshing to learn that they were just like us in many respects—they stayed up too late the night before, needed their coffee in the morning and loved politics. I met a number of people with very similar career goals that expressed interest in working together in the future.
     The first speaker of the day was Virginia's Secretary of Education Tom Morris. He spoke to us about what his goals for education are and some ways to go about achieving a better school system. Economist Louis Rossiter spoke with the group about the state of the health care system. He provided us with necessary background and empirical evidence to have substantive conversations about health care reform. Rossiter elicited humor from the audience as he provided us with self-deprecating jokes about economists. This was coincidental as my new PLP friend had been ragging on me all morning for being an economics major. The last speaker of the day was William Howell, Speaker of the House of Delegates. He fielded nearly an hour's worth of questions ranging from redistricting reform and the Governor's race to marijuana laws and immigration reform. I found the day to be a great success all around. I enjoyed the speakers as well as meeting new people, and I look forward to maintaining the relationships with the people I met today.
     “Economists are people that do not know what they are talking about but can say it in such a way that makes you feel like you don't know what you're talking about.” - Louis Rossiter

– Joshua Owens, George Mason University

College Leaders Program Class of 2009
Day 14—Friday, June 12, 2009
Reported by:  Sarah Bowers, University of Richmond

    The day began bright and early with flip flops, coffee pots, and speakers.  Our first speaker was Tim Longo, the chief of police of Charlottesville, who spoke to us about his experiences in the police force from serving as an on-duty officer to conducting internal affairs—investigating police officers and their personal ethics—to ultimately serving as the chief of police.  Chief Longo elaborated on the difficulty of implementing community policing, a type of policing based on forming relationships of mutual respect and trust between the community and its citizens in hopes of alleviating long term community problems.  Our next speaker was Amy Gardner, a reporter for the Washington Post.  Ms. Gardner spoke on her coverage of the 2009 gubernatorial race as a bipartisan reporter and the ethics necessary for accurate coverage.  While Ms. Gardner was able to give us the perspective of a reporter for a large paper, our next speaker—Chelyen Davis—provided insight into reporting for a smaller paper, the Fredericksburg Free Lance Star.  Ms. Davis shared her opinion on the changing media with the influence of blogs and twenty-four hour internet updates, the fading of print newspapers, and the role of the media as watchdog.
     After a delicious lunch of chicken strips, salad and wraps, we headed back into the classroom for our first session of the Thoughtful Citizen with Professor Steve Brigaw.  After brief introductions, we wasted no time delving into the subject matter beginning with defining the most prevalent statewide problems.  We then attempted to clarify the definition of a public problem—as opposed to a local issue—and the services that government is able to allot to these problems as “public good.”  After discussion we found that the term “good” could be interpreted philosophically—as in justice and the right to life, equality, and fairness—and economically as in a product or service.  Our discussion turned from defining public good to the necessary steps to transform public good into public policy.  After a break for water and lemonade, we resumed class examining citizenship as determined by Aristotle, Tocqueville, and Madison.  As we left class, we were all excited to delve into our weekend plans and to re-engage with Professor Brigaw on Monday.

—Sarah Bowers, University of Richmond

College Leaders Program Class of 2009
Day 14—Friday, June 12, 2009
Reported by:  Andrew Lundsten, Christopher Newport University

This was the last day that Dr. Quentin Kidd taught the first half of our lecture series called “The Informed Citizen.”  His aim was to give us a solid understanding of the geographical, political, and historical makeup of the Commonwealth.  Today we discussed a number of topics, including the budgetary process, funding from state vs. federal government, education, transportation, and the tax structure.  It was a great way to end the lecture with a survey of different topics, giving us a variety of perspectives on different issues.
     Craig Evans, a renowned journalist and former editor of Backpacker magazine, was nice enough to take time out of his busy day to speak with us.  Mr. Evans spoke about how it is essential for media to be the “4th estate.”  In other words, media is the fourth entity that should keep the three branches of government accountable.  In many respects news - particularly cable news - has moved from neutral reporting to biased commentary.  For this reason we must all view the media with a skeptic’s eye and dig below the surface to fully understand the facts.  Hearing his perspective on the evolution of media was both fascinating and informative.

—Andrew Lundsten, Christopher Newport University

College Leaders Program Class of 2009
Day 12- Wednesday, June 10
Reported by: Abigail Quinn, Hollins University

It was a field trip day! CLP woke up bright and early to be out the door by 7:30 this morning.  Most of us slept on the way to Chatham’s Green Rock Correctional Facility. To enter the prison we had to give up our driver’s licenses and were patted down. Our group was split into two smaller groups, one lead by the facility’s Investigative Officer and the other with Officer Gibbs. Our tour guide took us to see the gym, pods (where the inmates sleep), visiting room, and classrooms for VOTECH programs and GED programs. Although the inmates were tough, I was surprised by how well everyone behaved and followed procedures.  The jail was really clean, mostly due to the fact that the inmates spend an hour each day cleaning. The jail provides such luxuries as air conditioning, two televisions in each cell, planned activities, and two libraries.  It was disheartening to hear that the new jail was already filled at capacity and that 82% of the inmates are black. I had no idea how many jobs correctional facilities provide to the surrounding communities: officers, doctors, educators, ect.
     Next we hopped into the bus and drove to get lunch. We dined at Mary’s Diner for some “Good ol’ Southern Cookin’” YUM!
     After we were stuffed we had a tour of Dansville from the Mayor, Linwood Wright. We drove all around the city. The factories that once ran Danville are being demolished and the property is being sold for development.  New factories owned by international companies are beginning to pop up. Companies such as Swedwood (IKEA) and Telvista (a Mexican call center) are reaching out to their American consumers by putting factories in the United States.
     The bus dropped us off downtown at America National Bank and Trust, where Charlie Majors, President and Chairman, talked to us about changes in Danville. In class we already established that Danville is one of the poorest communities in Virginia with one of the highest unemployment rates. Yet Wright and Majors seem optimistic. With new companies coming into the area, they are hoping that more people will become employed. Also, it seems that Danville is putting its money in the right places. They made the small city very broadband friendly which is allowing more companies to come to the area. Furthermore, they realize the need to get their students educated. They have been training their teachers on how to teach with technology and co-operate Galileo High School for technology and sciences, which is receiving national attention. After meeting with Mr. Majors, I think we all felt like we had a pretty good grasp on the city of Danville’s struggles and prospects.
     After leaving Danville, we drove another hour and half to Lynchburg where we had a delicious Italian dinner. Delegate Shannon Valentine, a Sorensen graduate and State Board member, met with us in small groups before dinner before having to leave to pick up her child. I respect her for being able to play the role of politician and mom.
     We sang songs the whole way back from Lynchburg. We were all a little loopy from a great day and little sleep. We arrived back safe and sound at 10pm. What a great (but long) day.

—Abigail Quinn, Hollins University

College Leaders Program Class of 2009
Day 11- Tuesday, June 9
Reported by: Scott Van Der Hyde, Radford University

We started today off in the “Informed Citizen” section with Dr. Kidd. We had a very interesting discussion about the role that money plays in Virginia politics.  This led to discussions on issues such as redrawing districts and campaign fundraising. We finished up with the “Informed Citizen” at noon and took a break for lunch.  For lunch we had a variety of wraps and were treated with some very good cupcakes that someone brought.
        After lunch, we had speakers for the rest of the afternoon. Our first speaker was Connie Jorgensen, who spoke to us about the legislative process. She specifically focused on getting bills passed through the General Assembly. This included many tips on writing and proposing a bill. She also talked about how to help the bill get passed once it has been proposed.  These tips will surely be very helpful as we are working on our culminating projects.
        Our next speakers were David Toscano and Rob Bell.  They are Virginia Delegates representing the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County.  We had a good discussion with them about the Democratic primary that was held today. Many groups also took the opportunity to talk with them about their proposals for the culminating project.  We also got to hear their different views about many of the issues that are facing Virginia today.  It was very interesting to hear the different views on these issues from a Republican and a Democrat from the General Assembly.
        Our final speaker this afternoon was Liz Chadderdon, who is the President of The Chadderdon Group.  She specializes in creating direct mail campaign ads. She spoke to us about political campaigning, and about how much money it costs to run a campaign.  She explained all of the strategy and research that goes in to running a campaign. She also spoke about some of the recent successful campaigns and contrasted them with some of the less successful campaigns.
        After the speakers we returned to Bice for dinner and free time.  The evening was exciting as we discovered that Creigh Deeds is going to be the Democratic nominee for Governor.  It was especially exciting for several people in the class who were able to attend his victory celebration.

—Scott Van Der Hyde, Radford University

College Leaders Program Class of 2009
Day 10- Monday, June 8
Reported by: Jenna Klym, Virginia Tech

Monday. Week Two. We started our day with Bob Gibson, our program director and friend.  He spoke about his own beginnings in journalism and politics.  As we discussed his background and career as a political commentator and journalist in the Charlottesville area, it was apparent that his principles are rooted in non-partisan and objective politics.  As he closed his presentation, he nonchalantly noted that “Virginia politics was once an oasis of calm predictability, but it ain't no more!”  This theme would resonate throughout the day, as political leaders from every age and background gave us new ideas for creating a better Virginia.
     Ben Marchi of the non-profit organization Americans for Prosperity followed Mr. Gibson.  A native of Charlottesville, Marchi first participated in the political process as a kid with his father licking envelopes and going door to door.  That grassroots campaigning stuck with Marchi as he uses those same tactics on a grander scale to cross party lines and make issues hands-on for Virginians.  As AFP tackles issues such as transparency in government and free markets, they reach out not only to Republicans but to Democrats as well.  The group epitomized the unbiased politics that we are trying to create in our own classroom.  His advice, “as long as you do the right thing in politics, you’ll have a blast,” reminded us that politics can be fun when issues are resolved by working together.
     Bill Shobe, a professor at the University of Virginia, took center stage after Marchi.  His goal was to speak about economics and public policy, but we accomplished so much more than that!  Dr. Shobe’s objective was to relay to us the reasons why government exists. With many of us being history and political science majors, this seemed like it would be an easy lecture.  However, with Dr. Shobe in control, the class had a very animated discussion that made us think on a very different level.  He helped us come to the conclusion that government exists to solve the problems that accompany ownership rights and the control of resources.  The conversation seemed to relate directly to current political controversies; however, Dr. Shobe reminded us that although “these times are exceptional, all times are exceptional” giving us hope and excitement for our own careers that lay ahead in the political world!
     Our forth speaker, Dave Norris, the Mayor of Charlottesville, explained the inner workings of local politics.  Although he was the underdog in the 2006 mayoral election, his campaign strategies such as neighborhood meetings where he focused on local issues, proved to be successful.  His enthusiasm for the Charlottesville community illustrated the importance of local politics and initiatives.  The Sorensen standards of non-partisan politics shined through as he noted that as a Democrat he had supported a republican candidate for sheriff in the past.  Mr. Norris showed the class that local state politics is the very foundation of our political system.
     Our class ended the day with a session with Dr. Kidd.  We discussed the evolution of political parties in Virginia.  The discussion reminded the class that we do not need to be tied to political parties to be active in politics.  But it might have been Mayor Dave Norris’ reference to the quote that there is “no Republican or Democratic way to fill a pothole” that resonated the most with our class today.  Ultimately, as Sorensen students we must remember that being true to ourselves does not mean we have to be true to our parties: unbiased politics is the Sorensen way!

—Jenna Klym, Virginia Tech

College Leaders Program Class of 2009
Day 9- Sunday, June 7
Reported by: Shamama Moosvi, George Mason University
 
The day started off beautifully with the bright sun shining through the window in my room when I woke up at 11am.  After enjoying and celebrating Scott’s birthday late last night, everyone in the program was more than grateful for the opportunity to sleep in.  At noon, we ate salad and delicious sandwiches for lunch.  Afterwards we still had about an hour before we would need to get to our classroom in Thornton Hall for the only scheduled event of the day: a movie showing of “A Perfect Candidate” from two to four p.m.
In that hour my suitemates Michele and Lindsay took their blankets to walk to the Lawn and lay down under the summer sun.  I briefly discussed our policy proposal for the Culminating Project with two of my group members, Jesica and Derek, before heading out to the Lawn myself to write in my journal and enjoy the gorgeous day.
     As two p.m. neared, I walked to Thornton, ready to watch “A Perfect Candidate.”  The movie showing was originally scheduled in Bice, our residence hall, but the location changed since classroom space in Thornton with a large projector would be more accommodating for twenty-nine people.  Unfortunately, nobody anticipated that it would take thirty minutes to figure out how to increase the volume level so everyone would be able to hear the dialogue.  Regardless of that minor technological obstacle, everyone remained energetic and became engrossed in the movie once it started.
     “A Perfect Candidate” is a documentary that covered the 1994 Virginia Senate race between Republican Oliver North and Democrat Charles Robb.  The documentary was filmed from the point-of-view of North’s campaign manager Mark Goodin and Communications Director Mark Merritt about the challenges North had to overcome during his journey on the campaign trail.  The biggest challenge that North needed to conquer was the negative perception that some voters held about North because of his involvement with the Iran-Contra scandal.  At the same time, though, Goodin and Merritt also offered a unique perspective when they stated in the documentary that there are also a lot of voters who like North because of his reasoning behind his involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal and not despite of it.  At the end, though, North lost the election to Robb as voters still questioned his ethics.    
     The documentary addressed the very value that members of the CLP Class of 2009 believed in so passionately since the first day of class when we discussed ethics in politics: honesty.  “A Perfect Candidate” reaffirmed my belief in the significance and depth of honesty.  Sincerity and truthfulness extend beyond the campaign trail and politics— they are the pillars of leadership and life in general.
 
—Shamama Moosvi, George Mason University

College Leaders Program Class of 2009
Day 8—Saturday, June 6
Reported by Brian Diaz, Liberty University

We started off the day by waking up late, which was good. The first week was very informational, and exciting, and I believe that speaks a lot about our energy. We then ate lunch, finished getting dressed, and began our walk towards the classroom, where we met a number of speakers.
     Firstly, Lincoln Saunders and Amy Richardson from the Democratic Party of Virginia came and spoke to us about Virginia political parties. They both explained how finances and fundraising were an essential part of their work, and politics in general. We all agreed that they were informative and that parties were very important in the political process.
     Next, Randy Marcus, the Chief of Staff to Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, spoke to us about message targeting and motivating voters. He explained that different regions can require different messages and different targeting techniques to communicate effectively with the voting public. Randy also briefly touched on how failures are lessons as well, and that they can be used in a positive way.
     Lastly, Ken Stroupe, Chief of Staff at the UVA Center for Politics, spoke on the importance of speech writing in politics, and the art form that it is. He was very informative and connected with us by using historical speeches.
     Sorensen is turning out to be an amazing experience, and it is only the end of the first week. I’m looking forward to what the rest of the program will provide.

—Brian Diaz, Liberty University