FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA / COVER STORY
FROM THE STATE HOUSE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE TO CITY HALL IN SAN FRANCISCO –literally, from sea to shining sea – New College graduates
have devoted themselves to public service. They have worked in and around politics as elected officials, expert staff, advocates for a cause or journalists informing the public about their government. For some, like Stephen Duprey ’71, political activism started early – he was elected to office in New Hampshire while a New College student. For others, like Amy Laitinen ’92, it began after a migration in both career and geography, from New York City to California to Washington and a position in the Obama White House. Other Novo Collegians, like Karen Halperin Cyphers ’97 and Janet Bowman ’79, have stayed close to home, working in the state’s capital of Tallahassee. Now, New College is taking advantage of that connection and showing its next generation of students the path to public service, with the Semester in Tallahassee program. “New College does a fantastic job of educating people intellectually but is not always as great at educating them about practice,” said Keith Fitzgerald, professor of political science, who directs the Tallahassee program. “Many of our students have the intention of being practically involved but have no idea how to take that intent and do something with it.” So Fitzgerald, Prof. Frank Alcock and Andrea Knies, assistant director for community engagement, developed the program, which launched in the January 2016 ISP term and ran through the spring semester. Six students participated, working at internships across the capital, taking classes at Florida State University as well as Fitzgerald’s seminar. “The point of this is not that we want them to be bureaucrats,” Fitzgerald said. “We want to give them maps of the world, so they can get to the places where they can figure out what they want to do a little faster.” That map was part of what Chloe Kimball took away from the program. Kimball, a second-year political science AOC, interned with the Florida Education Association, which represents public school teachers. “Seeing the complexity of the political system helped me to understand the many roles people fill - policy analyst, lobbyist, and representative, to name a few - and appreciate the parts they play in our government. Those also are the roles that New College graduates have filled, arrived at via many different “maps.” But no matter what route they chose, they say New College prepared them well for the trip. New College student Dylan Pryor, who interned as a reporter in Tallahassee, awaits the start of legislative proceedings in the Florida House of Representatives press gallery.
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