Washington Program in National Issues

WPNI'S 51st CLOSING CEREMONY

Celebrating a successful semester. Nearly half of students secured full-time positions in Washington DC and play to stay. Their success speaks to the quality of the students and the program. Students interned with Democratic and Republican members of Congress, think tanks, social service organizations, Senate campaigns, and federal agencies. Looking forward to 2025!

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WPNI 2024 IN THE BOOKS!
WPNI celebrated its 51st Closing Ceremony last night in the Rayburn Building. Students, parents, alumni, and internship supervisor came together to congratulate the WPNI Class of 2024. Kent DC Alumni President, Matt Dermody received the Fran Richardson Award this year. And James King was recognized publicly by Cathy Teti for receiving the award in 2021. Highlights also included Kennedy Gotham and Isaac Halaszi bestowing superlatives on the current class of students. Also, nearly half of the seniors in the class received job offers and plan to stay in DC!

Huge thanks to Sarah Schmidt for helping to organize the event. Sarah is the new WPNI director while Mark Cassell will continue to teach in the program and organize the briefings. The added capacity will help grow and strength the Washington Program in National Issues.

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Kent State University
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Kent State University, National Capital Alumni Chapter

𝐖𝐏𝐍𝐈 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐚

Last week, WPNI scholars traveled to Philly by train to visit the Eastern State Penitentiary, the country's oldest penitentiary and now a national landmark. The penitentiary operated from from 1829 until 1971! The self-guided tour, narrated by the actor, Steve Buscemi, hit home the brutality of the prison but also included an exhibit on mass incarceration in the US today. The class learned why incarceration rates, stable for most of the 20th century shot up in the 1980s to make the US the world's leader in incarceration. After the tour, scholars exploref Philadelphia's downtown including the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Reading Terminal Market, and the water front.

Super fun day in Philly.

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Kent State Honors College

Last Thursday WPNI scholars turned to the courts and taxes - appropriate topics given the time of the year. Students were briefed by Andrew Boardman and Spandan Marasini, researchers and data analysts at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, the country's premier think tank on the distributional effects of state, local and federal tax policies. We then Metro'd it to the Supreme Court where we toured the court and court chambers. Students were also briefed by two of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch' clerks. The clerks discussed their backgrounds, how the court works, and some of the challenges faced by the nine justices. It was an amazing day!

Kent State Political Science Department
Kent State University
The Kent State College Democrats
Kent State University College of Arts and Sciences
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Kent State University Alumni
Kent State University, National Capital Alumni Chapter
Kent State Honors College

Calling all alumuni!!

The Kent State Communications and Marketing department is working on a new video project about the WPNI experience.

We would love our alumni members to share their thoughts about the program.

The video team will be in D.C. and has set aside Thursday, April 4, for alumni interviews. If you are interested, please contact Mike Rich at [email protected] for additional details.

It was a little tough to watch the Kent vs. Akron MAC final at the end. Both teams played amazing defense.There was solid group of KSU fans in Washington DC cheering on the Golden Flashes until the very end.
Kent State Political Science Department
Kent State University
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Kent State University College of Arts and Sciences

It was an incredible week in Washington DC. WPNI scholars focused attention on media and public policy with particular attention devoted to documentary films like A Think Blue Line and Frontline's documentary, American Insurrection. We also got to explore one of the most famous cites in the city: The Mansion on O Street.

First up was a briefing by New Times' Best Seller and national affairs correspondent for The Nation, John Nichols. Nichols has written, cowritten, or edited over a dozen books on topics ranging from histories of American socialism and the Democratic Party to analyses of US and global media systems. His latest, cowritten with Senator Bernie Sanders, is the New York Times bestseller It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism.

The afternoon was all about documentaries with Kent State alum Tom Jennings. Jennings got his start at the Kent Stater. He started his career as a print journalist, writing for publications including the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and Associated Press. In 1994, he was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in journalism for investigative reporting.

Jennings is also a Peabody and Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker and journalist. He founded his own film production company, 1895 Films, twenty years ago. 1895 Films remains aa full-service, award-winning content production company that has produced films on topics including politics, religion, history, crime, sports, mystery and travel. Jennings and his company received The Peabody Award for their Smithsonian Channel film detailing the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. The Emmy, which 1895 Films has received many nominations, was awarded to Tom and his company for their National Geographic film about the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster.

And to top off the day we got to tour the Mansion on O Street, one of the most remarkable and indescribable attractions DC has to offer.
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Today WPNI scholars focused on foreign and security policy. The class got to hear from three amazing foreign policy experts at the Stimson Center, a DC think tank that promotes international security and shared prosperity. Students were briefed by
Chris Preble (https://www.stimson.org/ppl/christopher-preble/), Kelly Grieco (https://www.stimson.org/ppl/kelly-a-grieco/) and Julie Gregory (https://www.stimson.org/ppl/julie-gregory/.

We covered topics from the war in Ukraine to Israel/Palestine conflict to China/Taiwan to how to get a job at a DC policy think tank.

It was an amazing conversation and discussion.
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Kent State University, National Capital Alumni Chapter

Every year DC shows off its Ohio pride by hosting Ohio Day at the Library of Congress. WPNI scholars were invited and showed off some Golden Flashes pride. WPNI alumni were also present, hyping WPNI and helping current scholars network.
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WPNI scholars focused on criminal justice policies and race. In the morning the class covered mass incarceration, theories underlying our criminal justice system, causes of crime, private and public prisons, and possible reforms. Students were briefed by Tyrone Walker, Director of Reentry Services for Georgetown's Prison and justice Initiative.

In the afternoon historian, Kenny Burns showed us Washington DC through an African-American lens. Stops included Howard University, Anacostia, the MLK memorial, the African-American Civil War Memorial and, of course, Ben's Chili Bowl. A super engaging day in DC.

Kent State Political Science Department
Kent State University Alumni
Kent State University
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The Kent State College Democrats

WPNI 2024 scholar Trevor Walton celebrated Valentine's Day with Representative Emilia Sykes. Walton is interning in Representative Sykes' office.
Kent State University Alumni
Kent State Political Science Department
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Kent State University College of Arts and Sciences

WPNI scholars focused on bureaucracies and accountability yesterday. Class was followed up with an amazing briefing at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and a visit to Representative Emilia Sykes' office. Representative Sykes' staff shared some useful perspectives on what congressional offices do and on careers on the Hill. We ended the day with a great happy hour at the Library of Congress.
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Government Accountability Office

Super fun pre-Valentine's Day Happy Hour with WPNI students and alums connecting and sharing stories. Huge thanks to WPNI alum, Jenna Messenger for organizing the event. Thanks to all that made it.
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Kent State University Alumni
Kent State Political Science Department
Kent State University College of Arts and Sciences
The Kent State College Democrats
Kent State College Republicans
Kent State University, National Capital Alumni Chapter

Yesterday, WPNI scholars focused on efficiency as a policy goal. During class we discussed how efficiency is applied to a range of policy areas including health care, education, and financial regulation. In the afternoon we were briefed by Conor Fogarty, Programs Manager at CATO Institute, and Jennifer Schulp, Director of Financial Regulation Studies at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives.
Kent State University
Kent State University Alumni
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WPNI helped Cavs beat the Wizards tonight. Lots of Cavs fans in the Wizard’s house thanks to Elizabeth Bartz. Super fun connecting with alumni.
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Kent State University Alumni
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The Kent State College Democrats

WPNI scholars toured the National Museum of African American History and Culture last week. They were also briefed by Don Wolford (WPNI 2021) at Center for American Progress. Don shared with students the importance of story telling in national campaigns. Thank you Don Wolford for an excellent briefing.
Kent State University
Kent State University Alumni
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Kent State University College of Arts and Sciences
Kent State University, National Capital Alumni Chapter

𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧❜𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟

On a day when we discussed federalism and the separate branches of government in class, Kent State University students toured on of those branches. We first received an amazing briefing from WPNI alum (23), Samantha Mew. We were then led by another WPNI alum (23), Erik Gomez through the capitol. Erik and Samantha were offered jobs in Washington DC after their internships. Finally, the class was treated to a briefing by the staff of Senator Sherrod Brown. Staffers, Cierra Stewart and Brendan Flynn briefed students on the challenges and opportunities of working in the Senate. After a long day, several students still had the stamina to follow me to the Library of Congress where they got their Reading Cards. It was another great day in DC.
The Kent State College Democrats
Kent State University Alumni
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Kent State University Alumni
Kent State University College of Arts and Sciences
Kent State University, National Capital Alumni Chapter

Nice to see Washington Program in National Issues finally make it to Kent State's home page.

51 years ago, Frances Richardson (KSU '39) helped start WPNI. For more than 30 years Fran welcomed students to Washington DC and help them adjust and feel comfortable in their new home. Fran always gave a tour of Pennsylvania Avenue in the first week of class, often braving cold temps and snow. Yesterday, we thought of Fran as the WPNI class of 2024 learned about the Eisenhower Executive Building, Blair House, Lafayette Park, the White House, and of course the infamous tale of Representative Dan Sickles (NY) who shot and killed his friend Philip Barton Key, son of Francis Scott Key. It was a great day and a great first week of the program. Thanks Fran, for the great tour and tradition.

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Kent State University College of Arts and Sciences

WPNI Off to Great Start Thanks to Alumni and Students

The WPNI Class of 2024 celebrated the start of another great year on Saturday night with alums, students, parents, and friends. Highlights included welcoming the students to their new apartments at Crystal Plaza. They're amazing.

Also, alumni organized the reception and purchased groceries for all the students as a "Welcome to DC"-gesture. Incredible kind. Special shout out to Samatha Mew (WPNI 23) for ordering all the pizza and food.

Students learned the wonders of the Metro and visited Joe's place on Pennsylvania Avenue.
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Just in time for the holidays...

Super happy to contribute to this amazing volume on Germany's last federal election. Michelle Deutch (Michelle Dts) from Das Progressive Zentrum in Berlin and I contributed a chapter on the role economics played in the election. We cover the debt brake, taxes, and investment -- all issues that remain incredibly salient.




American Council on Germany

American-German Institute
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

The 2021 German Federal Election This book provides a systematic analysis of the 2021 German Federal Election's domestic and international context.

Congrats to WPNI alum Erik Gomez on landing a full-time job in the DC office of Senator Sherrod Brown!

WPNI 2023: anyone else staying in the Capitol?

Congratulations to WPNI 2022 Scholar, Abigail Bottar. The Ohio Associated Press Media Editors (APME) awarded Abigail the 2022 Award for "Best Spot News Coverage" for her reporting (along with Anna Huntsman) on the West Milling Co. fire in Downtown Kent for WKSU. Abigail is a reporter and producer for Ideastream Public Media. She earned her BA in Political Science at Kent State.
Nice job Abigail!

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Kent State School of Media and Journalism
Kent State Political Science Department
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So much more!!!!
Kent State University College of Arts and Sciences
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Kent State School of Media and Journalism
School of Peace and Conflict Studies at Kent State University
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Kent State Honors College

‘So Much More Than Just an Internship’: Finding Independence in the Nation’s Capital With The Washington Program in National Issues | Kent State University ‘So Much More Than Just an Internship’: Finding Independence in the Nation’s Capital With The Washington Program in National Issues | KENT STATE TODAY Student Life, Students First | How does a college student build the confidence and independence to tackle life after college? Students build th...