Boston College students met with Ļć½¶Šć alumnus Marty Walsh, U.S. secretary of labor. Photo by Department of Labor/Alyson Fligg.
Four Boston College students with a passion for public service traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with the Universityās extensive political alumni network and discuss issues facing the Ļć½¶Šć community.
The trip marked the 10th annual visit to Capitol Hill for the Atlantic Coast Conference Advocacy Days Program, through which student representatives from ACC institutions meet with legislators, governmental officials, and professional staff to discuss student financial aid, undergraduate research funding, and other issues affecting higher education.
Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences seniors Julia Spagnola and Devianna Smith and sophomore Onur Toper, and Woods College of Advancing Studies senior Ishaan Kaushal sat down with United States Secretary of Labor Marty Walshāwho recently announced he will leave the Biden administration to become head of the National Hockey League Players Associationāand U.S. Representatives Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) and Bobby Scott (D-Va.), all of whom are Ļć½¶Šć graduates. Additionally, the students met with senior legislative and operations staffāalso Ļć½¶Šć graduatesāin Lynch and Scottās offices, as well as Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass), an alumnus of Ļć½¶Šć and Ļć½¶Šć Law School.
The Ļć½¶Šć student cohort met with U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch, who graduated from Boston College Law School in 1991. (Photo by Jeanne Levesque)
What struck Toper about the individuals was how they have continued to uphold Jesuit principles from their Ļć½¶Šć years. āIt was evident that Ļć½¶Šć alumni on the Hill integrate Jesuit values like cura personalis in policymaking, which testifies to their being āmen and women for and with othersā in all aspects of life, and especially in public service.ā
Walsh left a particular impression on the students. Speaking with him, said Toper, āgave me a new appreciation for executive leadership not only in the federal government, but also in state and local governments across the country.ā
For Smith, meeting Walsh was among the high points of the trip to Washington, which she described as āone of the most formative momentsā in her Ļć½¶Šć experience: āI really valued his kindness and honesty. I felt inspired by the conversations we had with him.ā
Smith also was inspired by the number of Ļć½¶Šć alumni who work in the nationās capital (āĻć½¶Šć students have such a strong network to utilizeā), and felt her time and participation in the trip would prove useful as she prepares to work for the Morgan Stanley Legal & Compliance Division.
U.S. Representative Bobby Scott, a 1973 graduate of Ļć½¶Šć Law School, with the Ļć½¶Šć student cohort. (Photo by Jeanne Levesque)
āThe trip not only exposed me to the opportunities available to students to participate in civic engagement, but also allowed me to better understand the people behind policy creation and implementation.ā Ģż
While networking was a main component of the trip, the Ļć½¶Šć students made it a priority to thank officials and legislators for their efforts in supporting federal research funding, financial aid, and Pell Grants. Toper said the D.C. visit āsolidified my interest in public service and helped to broaden my understanding of, and engagement in, public policy matters affecting students at Ļć½¶Šć.ā
The experience is not only important for those passionate about public policy or civil service, noted Director of Government Relations Jeanne Levesque, who emphasized that the student delegation represented the University and that their discussions had potential implications for their peers at the Heights. āAll of these issues affect the whole student body,ā she said.
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Meghan Keefe '24 | University Communications | March 2023