LeadAR National Study Tour in Washington, D.C.

by Noah Washburn - October 1, 2018

LeadAR Class 18 members learned first-hand how policy is developed from the people who make it happen. The class spent the week of Sept. 9-15 in Washington D.C. for the program’s National Study Tour.

They met with top-level government, federal agency, and community leaders who provided a hands-on learning opportunity. The 27 class members met with their congressional delegation to discuss current issues and ways they can help solve them.

The seven-day trip provided a mix of formal meetings and informative tours. The group toured the Pentagon, FBI Headquarters, the Library of Congress and many national monuments. Sen. John Boozman took the class on a night tour of the U.S. Capitol Building.

Members of the class who are military veterans and family of veterans laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery on Sept. 11, 2018.

The class heard updates on the latest national issues from representatives of the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Commerce – Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the American Farm Bureau, the National Association of Counties and even the Embassy of France.

A special treat for Class 18 was a social and dinner with the leadership program from Maryland – Lead Maryland as they were completing their D.C. study tour the same week. The night included a motivational speaker, Retired U.S. Army Col. Nathaniel Todd and Director of Arkansas Department of Veteran Affairs, about “leading together.”

The LeadAR National Study Tour was made possible by sponsorships from the Arkansas Farm Bureau, Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Farm Credit MidSouth, AgHeritage Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit of Western Arkansas, Entergy, Dassault Falcon Jet, and Dr. Joe and Brenda Waldrum.

LeadAR is a program designed to educate emerging leaders on public issues and develop their expertise in addressing critical problems facing Arkansas. Visit www.uaex.uada.edu/LeadAR for more information about this Extension program. Follow our adventures on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UACommunityDevelopment.