For the 2015 National Student Leadership Congress hosted by the Council for Opportunity in Education in Washington D.C., over 150 students from TRIO programs participated in a week-long leadership experience. The agenda included cultural trips to D.C. landmarks, workshops on leadership skills and diversity, and a visit to the Supreme Court where Justice Sotomayor spoke to the students. On Capitol Hill, students met with members of Congress and later participated in a Mock Congress competition. The closing event featured a keynote speech from music industry leader Michael Muse, who encouraged the students to pursue higher education. The experience aimed to develop the students' leadership abilities and understanding of citizenship through diverse programming centered around exploring Washington D.C. and engaging with

2. Purpose:
• To establish a national network of emerging leaders from among the student
population served by TRIO Programs;
• To develop service-oriented leaders, empowered and skilled to serve their
communities and their nation;
• To enable Talent Search, Upward Bound, and Upward Bound Math and Science
students to understand national issues affecting their futures; and
• To promote sensitivity to and appreciation of cultural and racial diversity.
Program:
• A six-day residential experience designed to introduce students to elements of
effective leadership;
• Workshops on decision-making and problem solving; national service; leadership
styles, attributes and skills; the political process and coalition building;
multiculturalism and diversity;
• Sessions with policy-makers and educational leaders;
• Meetings with Members of Congress;
• A Mock Congressional Hearing; and
• Visits to Historical and Cultural Sites.
Outcomes:
• Increased awareness of leadership potential;
• Enhanced leadership skills in group decision making, planning and goal setting;
conflict resolution and negotiating;
• Greater knowledge of the role of the individual and the role of alliances in shaping
national priorities; and of career opportunities in government, public service and
education;
• Increased sensitivity toward people of different cultural and racial backgrounds and
insight into the institutional barriers hindering the achievement of equality; and
• Increased understanding of the responsibilities of citizenship through service.
About the National Student Leadership Congress
Since 1990, the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) has hosted the National Student
Leadership Congress (NSLC) in Washington D.C.
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3. Summary
For the first time in 26 years, COE’s annual National Student Leadership Congress
took place at Georgetown University, June 6-11, 2015 in Washington, D.C. Over 150
student delegates from Talent Search and Upward Bound programs from 24 states
and Guam came together for a transformational leadership experience. During this
time, students participated in cultural trips to D.C. monuments, including a visit to the
United States Supreme Court, Capitol Hill (where many students met with their
Representatives), the Holocaust Museum, and other D.C. landmarks. The hallmark
event of the student gathering was a Mock Congress for which they drafted their own
legislation. They also attended workshops on leadership skills, conflict resolution, and
diversity.
On Sunday, June 7, the student delegates began their day with a three-hour
interactive training led by Larry Bell, Director of the National Coalition Building
Institute, DC. The focus of the training was to guide students to break down social
and cultural barriers and foster connections with their peers by sharing their
experiences, claiming ownership in their identity and ultimately looking beyond their
differences to relate to each other by lifting up the similarities between them.
Students concluded the session by challenging one another to take the knowledge
that they gained during the session to continue to foster togetherness in their
communities and schools.
Highlights
Diversity and Inclusion Training with Larry Bell
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4. On the evening of June 7th the student
delegates participated in a guided tour of
Washington, D.C. This educational tour
emphasized the significance of the historical
sites they visited within the greater context of
American history. The group had the
opportunity to spend an extended period of
time at the White House, the Lincoln Memorial,
and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
On Monday, June 8, after visiting the Holocaust Museum, the TRIO delegates had
the rare opportunity to be addressed by Justice Sonia Sotomayor at the U.S.
Supreme Court. The Justice was warm and candid in her remarks to the students.
She shared the challenges she faced growing up as a Latina from a working class
family in the Bronx while emphasizing that she never let her low-income
background hinder her ambition to accomplish great things. After her remarks,
Justice Sotomayor graciously answered questions from several students. Their
question topics ranged from what inspired her to work in public service to how
she overcame obstacles managing her type-one diabetes from a young age.
When asked which characteristic kept her driven to keep pushing forward while
attending Princeton and Yale, and throughout her career, she said it was her
stubbornness that kept her focused on her goals. Justice Sotomayor ended her
remarks by saying that she felt connected to the students in the room because of
their common backgrounds and encouraged them not to be discouraged by their
humble beginnings, but instead to use them as motivation to achieve great things.
Many students expressed their appreciation to the Justice in thank you letters that
were delivered to her chambers.
Visiting the Supreme Court
Tour of the National Monuments
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5. TRIO Hill Day
On Tuesday, June 9, the student delegates connected
with alumni and participated in a day of advocacy on
Capitol Hill. The morning began with a panel discussion
featuring TRIO alumni who are working on Capitol Hill.
Panelists included: Victoria Hill, Talent Search Alumna
and Legislative Correspondent for Rep. Bruce
Westerman (R-AK-4); Victoria Duron, Legislative
Assistant for Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY); Tierra
Evans, Upward Bound Alumna and Constituent Services
Representative for U.S. Senator Tom Carper; and Jason
Spear, Talent Search and Upward Bound alumna and
Legislative Associate and Deputy Communication
Director for Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton
(D-DC). During the panel the presenters shared their
personal stories about their transition from being TRIO
students to working on Capitol Hill. They also shared
insights about what to expect during their visits in
Congressional offices and answered questions from the
students.
After the panel the students went to their scheduled
visits to meet with members of Congress and staff from
their home districts. The students were prepared to
share their personal stories of how their participation in
TRIO helped them academically and is preparing them
to be successful in higher education. They also asked
their member to support funding for TRIO so that these
programs can continue to help future generations of
students.
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Metropolitan State University of Denver
Upward Bound students with Colorado
Senator Michael F. Bennet

6. Mock Congress
The Winning Group: "A Bill to Require the United States Federal Government to
Substantially Curtail its Domestic Surveillance,"
presented by Easton Browning and Guetta Vital.
On Wednesday, June 10, students participated in the
Mock Congress, a group-based competition in which
they gave multimedia presentations for bills for their
fellow delegates to vote on. Some of the topics
presented included:
- Unionizing Student Athletes;
- Progressive Taxation;
- Genetically Modified Foods; and
- Free College Tuition
Throughout the week, students spent several hours each
day researching topics and preparing persuasive
arguments for legislation to be presented to their peers
during the Mock Congress. Each group selected two
delegates to serve as representatives to present the bill
that they had worked as a team to construct. Each group
was given three minutes for their presentation followed
by two minutes of questioning by their fellow delegates.
After all of the presentations were completed, the
student delegates voted to choose the winning bill. The
winning team was announced during the Leadership
Banquet that evening.
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7. Leadership Banquet with Michael Muse
The Leadership Banquet was the closing event of the Leadership Congress. During
this event, students shared testimonies of how life-changing their experience had
been. The winning group from the Mock Congress was announced, and students
showed their appreciation for their counselors. Michael Muse, an alumnus of the
Upward Bound program at Michigan State University, a leader in the music industry
and political activist, served as the keynote speaker for the Leadership Banquet.
During his remarks he reflected on his experiences as a low-income first-generation
student living in Michigan and told how he was motivated to complete his higher
education in engineering and make the shift from the STEM field to the entertainment
industry. Muse encouraged the students to “friend” him on Facebook and follow him
on Twitter—and even created a special hashtag for them to use: #triomuse. After his
remarks, he spent time speaking with each of the students who gathered to thank him
for his inspirational and energizing message.
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8. Looking Forward
This year Georgetown University provided an excellent location and exceptional
facilities for the 2015 National Student Leadership Congress. We are currently in the
process of confirming dates for the 2016 Leadership Congress. We look forward to
developing our partnership with Georgetown for many years to come.
In 2016 we are planning to highlight higher education opportunities in Washington
D.C. in NSLC programming. The Washington metro-area is home to many of the
country's most reputable colleges and universities. We are exploring ways to
incorporate campus visits and information sessions with admissions professionals into
the student activities next year.
This year, NSLC featured two alumni panels that highlighted TRIO student
experiences, navigating through higher education at elite colleges and universities
and making the transition to working on Capitol Hill. We are organizing career-centric
Q&A roundtables with TRIO alumni for NSLC 2016 that will allow student delegates
to have the opportunity to engage in in-depth conversations on topics that relate to
their academic and professional interests. We believe that the Leadership Congress
provides an ideal setting for the student delegates to make connections with peers
and potential mentors as they map out their pathways to the future.
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