KU TRIO McNair Scholars Tour Washington D.C., Connect with Leaders and Alumni

KU TRIO McNair Scholars traveled to Washington D.C. earlier this spring for an educational five-day trip where students engaged in the civic process, explored career opportunities and graduate schools, and learned about the history of the United States.  

The McNair Scholars Program, part of the Achievement and Assessment Institute’s Center for Educational Opportunity Programs, is a federally funded TRIO program that aims to prepare students for graduate programs through involvement in research and educational opportunities and activities. This includes experiences to regional and national conferences, such as the yearly Council for Opportunity in Education Policy Seminar held in Washington D.C.  

TRIO students from across the country were invited to attend the conference, including many local chapters of the program. As part of the conference, TRIO McNair students attended a legislative breakfast and met with staff from the offices of Kansas state representatives and shared their experiences and hopes for the future.  

“This legislative breakfast was a chance to show students how regular citizens can interact with their lawmakers and that they’re actually accessible,” TRIO McNair Scholars Program Director Mulubrhan Lemma said. “These are people that you vote for, and they run for office to represent you, so it's really about showing our students that civic engagement involves everyday people like our students.”  

For some of the students that went on the trip, this was the first time they had ever interacted with government leaders.  

“As a first generation and non-traditional student, it was a little intimidating for me, but they really listened to what we had to say,” said Arasi Faleta, one of the KU McNair Scholars that went on the trip. “It didn’t come down to what qualifications or degree I had, it was about connecting and being heard. It made me realize that no matter where you come from, you have a voice.”  

Outside of the conference, students and program staff had a packed itinerary. Students and program staff visited four national museums, saw multiple monuments and memorials, toured the U.S. Capitol and Library of Congress, and visited the National Archives.  

“Having opportunities like this at the college level is really important because it just builds social capital and it makes a difference in how students are able to grow their confidence, even in the simplest forms like navigating an airport,” said Assistant Director and KU McNair alumna Monica Martinez. “Trips like this one allow students who haven’t had these opportunities to gain a lot of knowledge and experience.”  

The groups also toured Howard University and connected with a KU TRIO McNair alum working at a Washington D.C. think tank. 

“Meeting that McNair alum was amazing. Seeing someone similar to me working at a job like that made me realize that the sky is the limit, and he made sure to encourage us and told us to pursue our dreams,” said Faleta. “It gave me a lot of hope as a first-generation student.”  

Lemma, who is also a KU McNair alumna, said that seeing her current students and past McNair students interacting was the best part of the trip. 

“I see myself as a product of the TRIO program and I believe that opportunity is a catalyst,” Lemma said. “Just being in that space and seeing the connectedness of what education opportunity looks like at different stages was a huge highlight for me and gave me a lot of hope.” 

Faleta said that she hopes these trips can continue and that students feel encouraged to attend, even if they’ve never traveled before.  

“I think it's important for other students to be exposed to trips like this so that they can see their potential and open up the barriers in their mind,” Faleta said. “This trip was a dream come true, and I hope other McNair students get to experience what I experienced.”