Political science students spent a late-October weekend in Washington, D.C., diving deep into government, Catholic Social Teaching, and the role of faith in public life.
Despite the federal shutdown, students explored iconic monuments and met with influential leaders.
The experience was organized by the Political Science program and the Center for Global Engagement in collaboration with the Ward and Kathy Fitzgerald Franciscan University Homeland Mission and Neumann University Advancement office.
The group met with the staff of Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5); Christopher R. D’Arcy, a lobbyist with Bedrock Advocacy Communications; Alex McKenna, a Catholic lawyer-in-training and former president of student government at Franciscan University of Steubenville; and Fr. William Gurnee, pastor of St. Joseph’s on Capitol Hill, a Roman Catholic church established in 1868.
Accompanying the students were Victor Betancourt, associate provost for global engagement, and political science professors Hasan Yonten and Robert McMonagle.
“With the Homeland Mission, we hope to continue offering the Neumann in D.C. experiential learning opportunity to more members of our student and faculty community,” says Betancourt.
According to the Franciscan University website, its Homeland Mission is dedicated to forming faithful Catholic leaders to serve at the heart of American public life. “Designed as a home away from home for Franciscan students, this dynamic hub equips them—across all academic disciplines—to engage with politics, policy, and culture with clarity, conviction, and a missionary spirit.”
Ward Fitzgerald, CEO and founder of ExCorde Capital, a private equity firm, will deliver Neumann University’s tenth annual Abessinio Lecture on Management and Entrepreneurship on November 11.