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Special to Postcards Photos by Mike Yawn & LEAP Ambassadors

SHSU LEAP SHSU LEAP

takes on D.C.

LEAP Ambassadors, immigration attorney Robert Cates, and local residents participating in the HPL/LEAP “Citizenship Preparatory Course”

The Center for Law, Engagement, And Politics at Sam Houston State University promotes unique, high-quality learning opportunities for students. Such opportunities include hands-on learning, mentoring, and internships, with the idea that the students involved in the program will give back to their communities through volunteerism and leadership. These “LEAP Ambassadors” recently had an opportunity to gain foundational knowledge and learn from public leaders on a trip to Washington, DC. When LEAP Ambassadors travel, they make the most of it. Such was certainly the case when SHSU students Yvette Mendoza, Morgan Robertson, Jessica Cuevas, and Erin Juarez traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the National League of Cities Congressional City Conference over spring break. In addition to learning from leading public officials about key topics in urban government, the Ambassadors also visited the capital’s major museums, and even ventured into Virginia, where they visited the history and architecture behind our nation’s founding. “Our hope is to provide the foundation students need to become leaders,” observed Mike Yawn, Director of the Center for Law, Engagement, And Politics, “so we wanted them to learn as much as possible from as many people as possible.” The conference itself was a unique educational opportunity. Over the course of two days, the students took a deep dive into policy, attending panels on the “digital divide,” “cybersecurity,” “homelessness,” “municipalities and the law,” and the “American Rescue Plan Act.” These topics not only tie into the students’ majors, but they are also related to the students’ volunteer efforts and internships locally. Three of the students—Cuevas, Robertson, and Juarez—have interned for the City of Huntsville, and Mendoza works for the Huntsville law firm Smither, Martin, and Henderson. Their experiences allow them to learn the basics of government and law, while also contributing to their communities. “I have been interning for the City Secretary’s office,” noted LEAP Ambassador Robertson, “so I have been exposed to many of these issues, but the conference really offered indepth learning opportunities. It was great to be able to represent SHSU while also learning as much as I did.” LEAP Ambassadors (L-R): Yvette Mendoza, Jessica Cuevas, Morgan Robertson, and Erin Juarez

President Biden speaking at Conference

knowledge from speakers who rank among the leading public figures in the nation. Indeed, one of their first speakers was Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who discussed, among other things, supplychain issues. He was followed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Joe Biden. “It’s rare that students have the opportunity to be a few feet from a Cabinet Secretary, a Speaker of the House, or a President,” noted LEAP Ambassador Cuevas, “but we learned from all three over a two-day period!” Beyond the conference, the students also visited the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Cathedral, and the Former LEAP Ambassadors with the President of Ghana, John Mahama

Morgan Robertson, Yvette Mendoza, Erin Juarez, and Jessica Cuevas at the National Gallery of Art with a Van Gogh Painting

Hope Diamond

National Gallery of Art, while also walking the entire National Mall. “One aspect of LEAP,” noted Ambassador Mendoza, “is that our learning is multi-disciplinary. Our advisor wants us to see how the disciplines fit together; therefore, we study law, politics, art, history, civil rights, science, and economics. This trip really highlighted LEAP’s emphasis on diverse learning perspectives.” In their tour of museums, the students were blinded by the Hope Diamond; dwarfed by a T-Rex skeleton; taken on a trip through history at the National Portrait Gallery; dazzled by the stained glass in the National Cathedral, awed by the work of Monet, Rodin, Van Gogh, da Vinci, and Calder; and spent much time exchanging (opposing) views on the merits of abstract and figurative art.

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“Prior to the trip,” recalled LEAP Ambassador Jessica Cuevas, “I did a lot of research over art, particularly Impressionists, so seeing Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, and Cassatt was probably my favorite part.” For Juarez, who interned at the Wynne Home this spring, “seeing the work of Jesus Moroles and James Surls was a high point. I have seen their work at the beautiful Wynne Home, on SHSU’s campus, and in Houston, but it’s another thing to know they are part of the exhibits at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art.” The LEAP Ambassadors also had the chance to visit the Capitol, the White House, and the Supreme Court. For students who want to go into law and public administration, the opportunity to visit was both inspirational and aspirational. “One day…” joked Robertson. “Seriously, though, it was a great opportunity, particularly since we actually had the chance to see a press conference on the grounds of Capitol Hill, as well as the chance to hear from and see the President at the conference.” In the LEAP Program’s 16 years of existence, the Ambassadors have met or heard directly from 12 heads of state: six United States Presidents and six foreign leaders. This list includes Presidents G. H. W. Bush, Clinton, G. W. Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden. They’ve also met Presidents from Mexico (two), Croatia, Columbia, Poland, and Ghana. The latter two cases were particularly noteworthy. LEAP Ambassador Megan Bryant, for example, was asked to carry (former) President Lech Walesa’s heart medicine when he visited SHSU. And, when the LEAP Ambassadors met His Excellency John Mahama, he was Vice President of Ghana. Eight days later, the President of The Republic of Ghana was murdered, and Mahama assumed the office of the President.

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When the LEAP Ambassadors travel, they do their best to make connections to their hometowns and their adopted town of Huntsville. Probably the quickest connection they made on their trip was when they saw a James Surls piece in the Smithsonian American Art Museum. They have seen Surls’ work in the Upper Kirby District in Houston, on SHSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine in Conroe, at SHSU’s main campus in Huntsville (Gaertner Performing Arts Center), and the Wynne Home. In fact, the students met Surls last year at the Distinguished Alumni Gala, making the connection more vivid and lasting.

Students with artist James Surls. Students at the US Supreme Court “LEAP” at Monticello

The students were also impressed with the architecture. “The classical architecture,” noted Cuevas, “is just so different from what we see in most cities. It was really beautiful.” The students explored architecture more extensively while venturing into Virginia, where they saw the homes of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. To be sure, the Madison home was impressive, and the students were eager to learn more about the “Father of the Constitution,” but few homes are as appealing, unusual, and innovative as Monticello.

From the seven-day perpetual calendar in the foyer to the oculus in the dome room, the classically symmetrical house is an architectural marvel. Each Ambassador had their own favorite room, fact, or artifact, but for Mendoza, the overall look of the home was most notable: “Its classical symmetry is perfect, and we learned from our professor that it inspired the look of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum, which was also interesting.” The Ambassadors’ study of Jefferson’s architecture continued with a brief look at the Capitol of Virginia and, more thoroughly, at the University of Virginia (UVA), both of which Jefferson also designed. The Rotunda and the Lawn at UVA are part of what Jefferson termed an “Academical Village,” which, as the University notes, suggests an ongoing interactive process

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The knowledge and skills acquired by the Ambassadors are not merely for personal development, they are also meant to be put to use. Following their trip to Washington, D.C., where the students learned much about their government and its founding, the students partnered with the Huntsville Public Library to offer a “Citizenship Preparatory Course.” This course is designed for local immigrants who wish to naturalize, but who may need assistance passing the civics exam portion of the process. For five weeks the students worked with local immigrants, helping them learn information required by the test: Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? Who is the father of the Constitution? How many seats are there on the U.S. Supreme Court? Who is the Speaker of the House? The naturalization process can take a while, typically 13-18 months. Over the 15 years the program has been offered, more than 350 immigrants have participated, and more than 125 have earned their citizenship—suggesting that civic education is a gift that keeps on giving.

He was also Ambassador to France, which, with much imagination, gave the LEAP Ambassadors a sense of kinship. “We learned so much in such a short period of time,” remarked Cuevas. “We were fortunate to have this opportunity, and we hope to carry it back with us to our classes and activities. I think we made the most of our time, and we look forward to returning.” The LEAP Ambassadors are a “majority-minority” organization, with five of the six members coming from underrepresented populations. All six work part-time, carry a full load of classes, and have an average GPA of 3.75. The members participate in 50-100 learning and volunteer activities per year.

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