LeadAmerica has been approved as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, VA 22102; (703) 506-3275.

Explore the art of governing, campaigning and policy creation.

Place politics under the microscope! It's an up-close, firsthand look at American Government and political leadership as you've never seen it before: watch and be engaged directly in how issues are debated, policy is made, and world events unfold.

Engage in Issues Facing Our Nation

Join other outstanding young leaders in discussing current issues and events that are facing our nation. You'll gain insight from national, state, and local leaders as you debate current policy initiatives and craft solutions in the areas of Healthcare, National Security, the Environment and the Economy.

Develop and Grow Your Leadership Skills

The Government & Politics conference is a fast-paced, dynamic program that offers outstanding students hands-on experiential learning opportunities. Step into the roles of congressional leaders in the Campaign Simulation, where you will practice the arts of coalition building, platform construction, networking, conflict resolution, public speaking and debate.

Think on your feet, engage in critical thinking, and solve complex problems. You'll build real world career skills and analyze leadership attributes through case studies of political leaders like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  Most importantly, you’ll return home with the skills necessary for effective leadership.

 

Program Highlights

Future leaders created here — Discover how the exciting political process in America works and how activists and government leaders build coalitions and use our vast political resources to shape our country. You’ll experience what it’s like to be on the campaign trail, as you debate issues, create national policy, and serve as an elected official.

At the Government & Politics Conference you can:

• Hear from three outstanding guest speakers that will share their experiences:
  • Former State Department Foreign Service officer, Gary Crocker, M.A.
    Gary Crocker served for 25 years in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research. Throughout his career, he was involved in arms control, missile site inspections in the former Soviet Union, and treaty negotiations in Geneva. His most recent assignment involved six trips to Libya to participate in the dismantling of the nuclear, missile, chemical and biological capabilities in exchange for diplomatic recognition and new trade agreements.
  • Congressional Elections Expert, Barbara Palmer, Ph.D.
    Barb Palmer is an Associate Professor at Baldwin-Wallace College and focuses her academic research on congressional elections and the success of women candidates. Dr. Palmer also serves on the Board of Running Start, a non-partisan organization that encourages young women to get involved in politics. (July 10-17 and July 22-29 Sessions Only)
  • (Ret.) U.S. Army Brigadier General Rebecca S. Halstead
    General Halstead was the first female graduate of West Point to become a general officer. Obtaining the rank of general in 2005, she served as the senior commander for logistics operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom from October 2005 to September 2006. In this position, General Halstead commanded more than 25,000 soldiers and civilians dispersed among fifty locations throughout Iraq and Kuwait. (July 10-17 and August 2-9 Sessions Only)

• Assume the responsibilities of leaders within the legislative branch: build coalitions and platforms, resolve conflict, manage crisis and hone your public speaking skills in an actual Campaign Simulation.
• Conduct policy research and analysis while crafting solutions in policy areas ranging from National Security to Alternative Fuels and the Environment.
• Examine leadership skills and attributes through challenging case studies on influential political leaders like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
• Prepare for a career in politics and government through the Government & Politics Career Planning Seminar.
• Experience what it’s like to be a first-year college student.
• Get a true sense of what it will be like to be an active political leader solving real-world challenges.
• Earn up to two college credits

Conferences include dynamic off-campus guided field trips:

Georgetown University Conference, Washington DC 

• In an educator-led tour, you will visit the “Newseum” that covers five centuries of news history. Exhibits include the largest Berlin Wall display outside Germany, the Unabomber’s cabin and the taped door from the Watergate Complex that eventually led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.
  
• Visit Mount Vernon and tour the estate of George Washington. Highlights include a key to the Bastille, the Washington tomb, and the new state-of-the-art Ford Orientation Center.
  
• Travel to Capitol Hill where you will meet with the staffs of your U.S. Representative and Senators.* This experience will provide you with the opportunity to see the behind-the-scenes work of office staffers. Schedule permitting, you may have time to visit the Supreme Court Building, Library of Congress and the Capitol Visitor Center.
  
• Watch the July 4th fireworks on the national mall and experience one of the best Independence Day fireworks displays in the country. (June 29 – July 6 session only)

University of California at Berkeley

• Tour the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and the new Fed Center Museum where you will get an inside look at the functions of the U.S. central bank through a series of guided hands-on exhibits.
  
• Visit the James R. Browning U.S. Court of Appeals Building. This tour will provide you with insight into the federal judiciary as you receive a curricular program facilitated by the federal courts.
  
• Tour San Francisco City Hall. Noted for its grand Beaux-Arts architecture and vast marble rotunda, you will gain insight into local politics in a setting as monumental as many of the issues local lawmakers face.
  
• Walk two of San Francisco’s most famous landmarks: Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf.

You lead others by following your passion.

* Appointments with congressional leaders are subject to member availability and scheduled recesses.

 

Program Components

• College Accredited, Academic Curriculum
• Conduct research, analyze information, engage in debate, resolve conflict and build networks of support as you practice being the leaders of tomorrow
• Evaluate leadership qualities through LeadAmerica’s challenging Leadership Case Studies
• Debate current proposed policy solutions while crafting new paths forward on current issues of national importance like healthcare, national security, the economy and the environment
• Engaging Faculty & Guest Speakers
• Gain access to academic and professional leaders
• Speakers may include Legislative and Executive branch representatives, policy analysts, national security experts, representatives from federal agencies, Ambassadors and/or regional experts from institutions like the US State Department and the Brookings Institution
• Program Relevant Field Excursions
• Experience the program content and appreciate regional sites of importance through field excursions designed to complement the academic and skill building objectives of the program.
• Field Excursions may include visits to State and Federal Agencies, Museums, Political Think Tanks, and Capitol Hill (DC Only)
• Career Focused Skills & Personal Development Workshops
• Formulate a personal mission and vision plan
• Develop and polish skills like time management, decision making, team building, conflict resolution, public speaking, and communication
• Explore the opportunities and strategies to advance in program related career fields
• Collegiate Experience & College Enrollment Seminars
• Experience college life from challenging academics to dormitory living
• Gain an important head start in the preparation for college and the college admission process.
• Friends & Support for a Lifetime
• Develop a network of fellow scholars and mentors

 

 

A DAY AT GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

 

Photo Gallery

Previous Guest Speakers & Organizations Include:

White House & Executive Level Officials

• Dr. Madeline Albright, Former Secretary of State
• Brian H. Hook, M.A., Former Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations
• Donald Rumsfeld, Former Secretary of Defense
• Dr. David Walker, Former U.S. Comptroller General
• Elaine Chao, M.B.A., Former Secretary of Labor

Political Leaders and Policy Experts

• Bruce L. Braley, Congressman, Iowa, First District
• Jeff Flake, Congressman, Arizona, Sixth District
• Chuck Hagel, Former U.S. Senator from Nebraska
• Dr. Jim McDermott, Congressman, Washington State, Seventh District
• Michael Dukakis, Former Governor of Massachusetts
• Steven Bennett, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, The Brookings Institution
• Dr. Veronica DiConti, Associate Dean, Summer Programs, School of Continuing Studies, Georgetown University
• Gary Crocker, Former Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State
• Dr. Martin Dupuis, Assistant Dean, Burnett Honors College and Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Central Florida,
• Felix Ortiz, New York State Assemblyman
• Jamin Raskin, J.D., Maryland State Senator
• Manuel Stefanakis, Former Director of Public Administration Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
• Michael Tanner, Senior Fellow, The CATO Institute
• Mary Beth Tinker, R.N., Tinker vs. Des Moines, 393 US 503, 1969
• Robert Tobias, J.D., M.B.A., Director of the Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation, American University

Government Agencies, Military and Defense Organizations, & Political Committees

• Defense Intelligence Agency
• Drug Enforcement Administration
• International Spy Museum
• National Security Agency
• Office of the Director of National Intelligence
• U.S. Department of Commerce
• U.S. Department of Defense
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Department of State
• U.S. Secret Service

Dates, Location and Tuition

Complete tuition, enrollment and other conference details can be found in the Application and Enrollment & Other Details included in your invitation package and in the online application.

Please pay careful attention, as dates may have changed from printed material.

2011 Government & Politics Sessions*

Location	City	Program Date	Tuition	Tuition & Travel Insurance	College Credits Available
University of California at Berkeley	Berkeley, CA	July 5 – July 11	$2,099	$99	1	Enroll
Georgetown University	Washington, DC	June 18 – June 25	$2,299	$99	2	Enroll
Georgetown University	Washington, DC	June 29 – July 6	$2,299	$99	2	Enroll
Georgetown University	Washington, DC	July 10 – July 17	$2,299	$99	2	Enroll
Georgetown University	Washington, DC	July 22– July 29	$2,299	$99	2	Enroll

Tuition Includes:

• One college credit ($475 value)**
• A full schedule of classes, briefings, lectures and simulations
• Certificate of Completion
• Housing accommodations at a University/College dormitory
• All on-campus meals ***
• Course materials and lab fees
• Transportation as needed for off-site activities, briefings and events
• Field trips and social events
• Program Faculty and on-site staff for supervision
• LeadAmerica T-shirt
  

* Dates and locations are subject to change.

** To earn college credit, the student must successfully complete all aspects of the program (see college credit information on our website for more details). The Government & Politics 8 day conference are accredited fro two (2) college credits. One (1) college credit (normally $475) issued from Loras College is included in the program tuition. A second college credit is available at the reduced rate of $299. Government & Politics 7 day conferences are accredited for one (1) college credit which is optional and not included in the tuition. The college credit (normally $475) is available at the reduced rate of $299.

 *** Students will need spending money for several off-site meals, souvenirs and incidentals.