By Dawn Renta, DPA, Director of Graduate Academic Operations and Student Progress, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and Past President, MSACROA
A few months ago, I applied to participate in ̽»¨Â¥’s Hill Day. I did not know what to expect, but it seemed like a good opportunity for professional growth. When I got the email that I was accepted, I felt excitement and a little bit of apprehension at the same time. This was new territory, and I wondered if I had stepped too far outside of my comfort zone.
Two Days in New Territory
On the first day, the ̽»¨Â¥ Government Relations team provided all participants with a full day of intense training, including multiple discussion panels of former advocates and congressional office staff. We also got a rundown of the various talking points and ways to tailor them to a specific audience. The day concluded with a visit to ̽»¨Â¥ headquarters. The day was long and full, but I felt prepared and also got to meet many new colleagues in the process.
On the second day, I traveled to Capitol Hill with my fellow colleagues from Pennsylvania, Jonathan Helm and Kaitlyn Roberts from the University of Pittsburgh, to attend meetings with the staff of U.S. Representatives from our state. Throughout the day, we met with mostly legislative directors and assistants, who were attentive and interested in our talking points. We even had a meeting in the hall, which we were told was a normal occurrence during our training. It was an amazing experience to sit in the offices of each representative, observe the daily activities, and finally meet with the appointed staff person.
Confirmation
In our training session, we were told that being an advocate on Hill Day would be fun. I admit I was skeptical, mostly due to being a little nervous. I can now say that the ̽»¨Â¥ team was correct.
Whether we moved the needle on any issues remains to be seen, but either way, I enjoyed being part of a busy day on Capitol Hill, and “busy” is an understatement. There were a lot of people in the hallways of each building we visited—some staff, some constituents, and some advocates, as we were. The energy in the air was incomparable, and the day was both rewarding and energizing.
Thanks to the knowledge and training from the excellent ̽»¨Â¥ Government Relations team, the day turned out to be better than I ever could have imagined. I look forward to doing it again.