The syllabus for Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science Christopher Chiego's American Foreign Policy (POLS 248) course came to life during a recent class trip to Washington, DC for "A New American Message: A Discussion on U.S. Rhetoric."

"It was quite the capstone to our course with basically every major issue that we discussed in the course touched on at some point during the trip,"  Professor Chiego says.

Ten students traveled to the panel and discussion event with Professor Chiego, with transporation costs funded by the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship's Ethical Global Learning and Faculty Curricular Support funds.

"We first attended a panel on 'A New American Message: A Discussion on U.S. Rhetoric' at the American Security Project think tank where the students asked questions and interacted with a distinguished panel of foreign policy experts." 

Following the panel, the group met with the event's keynote speaker, former Senator and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel.

"We had the chance to...ask him about his experiences on the Obama Administration's National Security Council, which was the subject of our class simulation earlier this semester."

That simulation is what inspired the class trip, and a meeting with a current member of the National Security Council at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the grounds of the White House brought the course and experience full circle.

"Students learned more about how the NSC works and specific policy issues related to current American Foreign Policy. They also asked questions about the Foreign Service and national security policy as a career."

Faculty interested in incorporating or getting support for off-campus learning in their courses are invited to contact Stephanie Keene, Program Manager for Ethical Global Learning.