[ACE 199 Experiential Study Tour to Washington, DC | Spring Break 2014]

Today was action-packed day #2 in Washington DC! We started off the morning bright and early with an excellent breakfast and presentation provided by CropLife America. It was great to hear from an Illinois alumnus, Jay Vroom, the current President and CEO and his staff. Their communications director spoke to us about their growing social media presence, which our generation can relate to.

The next stop was the White House! Although the weather was a hindrance, the White House looked majestic in the snow. We had to wait out in the cold, but the security guards were joking with us so it was a lot of fun. The wait was well worth it when we saw Bo, the First Dog! We even got to leave with a souvenir – a White House Easter egg.

We then went to the USDA for lunch and many interesting presentations, including one from the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Krysta Harden! Our class had many thoughtful questions for all of these speakers that started some great discussions. We visited with The Nature Conservancy, where they do very impactful work combining economic development and environmental conservation. We capped the night off with fine dining at The Hamilton with Dr. Bob Thompson, another amazing alumnus of Illinois.