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Media Relations

Experience Washington, D.C., through the "The American Presidency" tour

Imagine yourself in Washington, D.C., this September. Leaves are just beginning to turn hues of orange and red. The air is crisp but still holding onto the warmth of summer. The city is abuzz with pre-election energy.

Your day begins with breakfast at the historic Smithsonian Castle -- a Victorian style, red sandstone building built in 1855. You take a private, behind-the-scenes tour of the National Portrait Gallery, as well as a guided tour of the White House. You witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and tour the beautiful Mount Vernon. The day concludes with dinner at the renowned Old Ebbitt Grill, a hot spot for political insiders and journalists.

If this imagined day sounds simply perfect, then you should check out the annual Indiana University School of Continuing Studies' travel program, The American Presidency: The Glorious Burden Uncovered. Its participants can expect this and much more when they tour the nation's capitol this Sept. 16-19 for a four-day educational adventure. Sponsored in collaboration with the Indiana University Alumni Association and the Smithsonian Associates -- a division of the Smithsonian Institution -- the exploration of the most powerful office in the world has been an IU tradition going back more than 20 years.

This year, however, participants can expect a few changes.

"While previous programs we have developed with the Smithsonian Associates have included many government experts and Washington-area professors, this year we plan to build on that and include the scholarship of our own Indiana University faculty," said School of Continuing Studies Dean Daniel Callison.

The IU scholars and experts will be available to offer insightful and revealing information as they make their way through Washington, D.C., with program participants. Those adventurous IU experts include Marjorie Hershey, professor in the IU Department of Political Science, and James H. Madison, the Thomas and Kathryn Miller Professor in the IU Department of History. Hershey is the author of three books, and numerous articles on political campaigns and debates, elections, journalism and politics. Madison is an expert on 20th-century United States, Indiana and World War II history.

Lee Hamilton, director of the Center on Congress at IU, also will give a lecture and meet with the group. He also is a former Indiana Representative, who represented Indiana's Ninth District for 34 years, and the former vice chairman of the 9/11 Commission.

Ed Finn, a student in the SCS adult education master's degree program offered at IUPUI, coordinated the trip this year as part of his graduate assistantship. Finn spent 17 years in retail management, experience that proved invaluable as he planned for the program in Washington, D.C.

"The interaction with the School of Continuing Studies and the learning incorporated into the assistantship has been the most enjoyable part for me. I have been able to not only help with the design of the travel program, but also help to educate adults. This is a lifelong passion of mine," said Finn. "I feel that learning is a journey we undertake throughout our whole lives. If I can help someone else learn something new, and in the process increase my own knowledge, then I have been successful."

John Beeson, executive director of the School of Continuing Studies, agrees. He also believes the travel program fits perfectly with the vision of the school.

"When the school was founded in 1975, one of the stated goals was to make lifelong learning a reality for adult learners everywhere, and IU alumni have always been one of the priority-service delivery groups. This program has always been presented with the educational needs of sophisticated adults in mind and has been of special interest to those who have an interest in American history, government and world affairs," said Beeson.

Finn and his colleagues began the planning process last fall with a few specific goals in mind. They wanted to reinvigorate the program by using former participants' suggestions and feedback, and make the program available to a wider audience.

"First and foremost, there is an increased focus on participant interaction and informal learning. This will rely heavily on interaction between participants and the resident scholars," said Finn. "Dean Callison refers to this form of instruction as 'teachable moments' and is a supporter of this form of instruction. Both John Beeson and I agree whole-heartedly with this approach."

The travel program has evolved and changed, but some things have stayed the same. Participants will spend their nights at the Jurys Washington Hotel located in DuPont Circle, a tradition maintained since the program's conception.

The program is open to anyone who is interested in participating, but registration is limited to 50 people. The fee for the event is $1,895 which includes the cost of all programming, travel to and from event destinations, breakfast each day, two lunches and two dinners. Travel to and from Washington, D.C., and hotel accommodations are not included. An early bird discounted rate of $1,795 is available to those who register by June 27. The registration deadline is July 15.

If interested please register online at http://scs.indiana.edu/nc/smithsonian.html or by phone at 812-855-8995 or toll free at 800-700-5379.

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