F&M students pose in front of the Capitol. Left to right: Kai Schwartz ‘27, Emily Harris ‘27, Richie Dockery ‘26, Milo Cabral ‘28, and Sujal Shah ‘27. Image courtesy Richie Dockery ’27.
A bold new course in the heart of Washington, D.C.
In a trip stretching the breadth of May, thirteen Franklin & Marshall students braved the marble lion’s den of politicians everywhere: Washington, D.C. To kick off summer and whistle ‘au revoir’ to spring, the baker’s dozen Diplomats endured a rigorous, 24/7 course load in Sociology across the city. While graciously hosted by D.C.-based American University, the students toured all the big-name sites: the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, etc.; all the while straining to make sociologically-informed notes on the sites, the scenes, and most crucially, above all, the people.
As featured on the college website and repeatedly echoed across the professional bragging forum that is LinkedIn, the student Diplomats held audiences with an array of professional speakers. Standing head and shoulders above the crowd, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) made a rowdy appearance, literally running to greet the students. In the Senator’s usual high-energy persona, Booker eagerly engaged with the students’ questions about life in the D.C. political swamp.
Off the heels of Senator Booker’s recent record-breaking filibuster, the students were on the edge of their seats to hear the Senator’s version of events. According to Booker, the marathon speech was made possible by taking several tablets of Motrin, an over-the-counter pain medication, while fasting for days in advance. Reminiscent of a late-night, last-minute push to submit an essay before its due date, Booker’s exploits amused the students.
When solicited for career advice, Cory Booker relayed the following words of encouragement for the students: “I don’t know you. I don’t know your talents or passions. All I know is that you have dreams and that nobody ever realized a dream without trying. So, shoot for the stars, chase those dreams.”
Collaborations
In addition to meeting with Cory Booker, the traveling Diplomats tackled various speaking engagements and lectures. The first stop on the nearly month-long crash course brought the students to the University of California’s “UCDC” program, where the young Diplomats brushed shoulders with UC students from every campus in the system.
The event kicked off with Venezuelan-inspired arepas and a small buffet of other Latin American dishes. Before the speaking engagement launched, the touring students had the opportunity to converse with various University of California students, sparking cross-country friendships. In typical UC-style, there were many solicitations for LinkedIn partnerships. Later, the event began in earnest, with an engaging discourse on gender roles in higher education employment.
Hardly taking any moments off, the rest of the tight course schedule dragged the beleaguered students to engagements with Georgetown University staff, the Thurgood Marshall Institute, the International Monetary Fund of the World Bank, the Delegation of the European Union, and the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Along the way, the students had the chance to meet with several distinguished Franklin & Marshall alumni, including Stan Brand ‘70, H. Art Taylor ‘80, and the program’s very own Matt Thomas ‘10.
However, the standout occasion of the entire course was a personal invitation from Cory Booker to tour the U.S. Senate Chamber and watch the Senate live in session. After trudging through various queues, metal detectors, and leaving all personal belongings at the door, the baker’s dozen students watched the Senate vote and debate on legislation. During the session, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) noticed the assembled students high in the Senate gallery. Taking a break from a marathon of voting, the white-haired Senator gave the students an exaggerated wave, to much fanfare after the fact.
F&M leans into experiential learning
The much-hallowed trip was spearheaded by Professor Ashley Rondini, PhD, of the Sociology Department, alongside the aforementioned F&M Director of Leadership Education Matt Thomas ‘10. The dynamic leadership pair leaned into experiential learning throughout the trip. Matt Thomas, with over 12 years of experiential education experience across F&M and other institutions, remarked that the college was emphasizing experiential learning as a core foundation of its curriculum.
While the first week of coursework was digitally proctored, with traditional reading assignments and response prompts, the three-week tour of duty in the political capital of America emphasized the ‘ampersand,’ dual-nature of an F&M education. As Thomas explained, the ampersand (&) in ‘F&M’ represents an adjoiner, bringing together separate ideas to make a broader, cohesive whole. In the same sense, experiential education leans into this concept by bridging the worlds of traditional textbook-based education with real-world experiences. Together, they combine to round out the student experience, molding a more versatile and less naive professional once Diplomats graduate.
While the headline celebrities and tourist attractions reeled students into the program, the secret to its educational success lies in the ampersand foundations of an F&M education. Diplomats are traditional learners, successful in textbook-based environments where essays, short answer prompts, and quizzes form the backbone of the grading rubric. However, Diplomats are also stewards of their communities, navigating the ‘real world’ through lived experiences that can’t be replicated in a brick-and-mortar classroom like Stager Hall.
Although American University’s campus was the program’s headquarters, the F&M in D.C. program found its rhythm throughout the city. From text-based ethnographic studies to hands-on explorations of the same communities, the program was designed to tear down the dissociative effects that textbooks lend themselves to. While students can read about redlining, segregation, and the Civil Rights Movement on a page, the text obfuscates the human-centric impact wrought by these issues. However, touring the affected communities in person, such as Washington, D.C., illuminates the reality of these government policies.
Birth of an F&M classic
With the sunsetting of F&M in D.C.’s freshman year, the program was successful. Dr. Ashley Rondini made a name for herself across the marbled city, bringing her students significant acclaim from the various hosting institutions. For example, the well-regarded Dr. Anthony Fauci signaled interest in joining with the next generation of F&M in D.C. students come May 2026. With continued attention and interest, the program seems poised to become an F&M staple, the first of many experiential-based ‘ampersand’ programs.
Rising Senior Richie Dockery is a Staff Writer. His email is rdockery@fandm.edu.