It’s not every day George Mason University Master’s in Public Policy students and Education School doctoral students get to ride in the underground train that transports senators from the Russell Senate Office to the U.S. Capitol. But when your professor is Anne Holton, the tram ride—as well as a 45-minute visit with a senator—is what constitutes a “field trip” outside the classroom.
In late April Holton, the former Virginia Secretary of Education who now teaches at the Schar School of Policy and Government, led her POGO 750: P-12 Policy Challenges students to the Hill for meetings with education leaders.
The afternoon started with a ride on the train toward the Rayburn House Office Building, where MPP and education students met with education policy staffers from the House Education and Labor Committee, headed by U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.). They then met with an education policy expert on the staff of Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), also Holton’s husband. Later, the senator shared his time—and some pizza—with the students.
“One of the best parts of the experience was getting to meet Senator Tim Kaine and speak with him and his staff about current issues in education,” said public policy master’s student Erin M. Embrey. “It’s not every day you get to discuss policy issues with a senator, but the Schar School’s close proximity to Washington, D.C. helped make it possible.”