DC Leadership Program

In Partnership with the President's Office

What is the DC Leadership Program?

The purpose of the Washington DC Leadership Program is for you to advocate on behalf of yourselves and your fellow WSU students to the U.S. Congress, specifically the Massachusetts congressional delegation. It is primarily experiential leaning. Students will learn about policy, civic engagement, and advocacy.

The Massachusetts congressional delegation comprises two senators and nine representatives from Massachusetts’ districts. Selected Students will determine issue an that is important to them and advocate for that issue in a meeting with the congresspeople or their staff. There will be weekly meetings leading up to the trip. This will help them to prepare and ask any questions about the trip or the preparation process. Then, over spring break, selected students will travel to Washington DC. This is a great opportunity for students who are interested in policy or law, or who want to learn. All majors are welcome.

Congressional Meetings

Call the senator’s or representative’s Washington DC office
The phone number can be found on the member’s website.
Submit the written visit request
To do this, there will be either an online form or an email to send.
Be sure to include your name and district in all correspondence with the member’s office.
Wait and be persistent
According to The Friends Committee on National Legislation, it takes one to seven days before you hear back about your meeting. If one week passes and you are still waiting, send a follow-up.
Request a different meeting date/time if needed
It is recommended to attend the meeting when it is offered.
If there is an overlap in meeting times/dates, then try to change it.
You should leave at least 1 hour in between meetings for travel to and from the offices and waiting for meetings to start.
Confirm the meeting
A few days before the visit, send a confirmation email and include a final list of all attendees.
Find Your Elected Representative
You can find your representatives in the House of Representatives and the Senate online.
Know the legislator’s stance on the issue you plan to address.
Please make sure to rehearse your message and anticipate potential questions.
Plan to dress professionally in business attire
Inroduce yourself and clearly state your affiliation and the purpose of the meeting.
Explain why the issue is important to you and your community.
Use an equal combination of statistics and personal stories.
Send a thank-you note or email summarizing the discussion and reiterating your request after the meeting.
Additional Resources
American Civil Liberties Union
National Council of State Housing Agencies
National Council on Aging

The trip allowed us to explore DC and all the wonderful things it has to offer. Going on this trip for the past 2 years has made me fall in love with the area and it is the reason I’ll be attending law school in the city. I never thought it would have been possible for me to experience what we did on the trip and it is such a great opportunity for students to learn what it is like to be on Capitol Hill. I now am considering working on Capitol Hill, something that I did not think about beforehand, and it is because of this trip.

— - Lily Morgan '25

Being a part of the D.C. Leadership program was such a honor. Having the opportunity to travel down to the nation’s capital and be able to meet with Congressional Staffers was an amazing experience. Being able to convey, and lobby to them ideas, change, and new perspectives that college students face was incredibly important. This trip opened so many doors for students and provided so many opportunities. I would recommend anyone to be a part of this program if they are able to!

— - Jon Graveson '25

Overall, it was an exceptional experience. The highlight of the trip was the congressional meetings. Meeting with the staffers was a very educational and informative experience. The Capital Building tour was great, also very informative. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the DC Leadership Program.

— - Maxwell Passarelli '27