Helms School of Government Students Visit French and British Embassies in Washington, D.C.
Helms School of Government Associate Professor Scott Roenicke took his International Relations, Terrorism and Politics of Europe class, to the French and British Embassies in Washington, D.C., Oct. 29 to show the students what a career in diplomacy and national security is like.
The students met at the Green Hall Transit Center at 3:30 a.m. Just before the buses departed at 4:00 a.m., Roenicke led the group in prayer for the safety of students and staff and a successful visit.
The French Embassy in Washington, D.C., was the first stop on the trip. Students had the opportunity to meet the Chief of the Political Section, Damien Cristofari. Cristofari gave the students a thorough summary of the importance of France’s historic relationship with the United States and France’s stance on current global issues.
Next, Cristofari led a Q&A session where the students asked their prepared questions regarding the topics of the Russian war with Ukraine, Chinese economic expansion, emerging security threats and collaborative efforts with those countries.
Sophomore Cedrick Saint Elien even had an opportunity to ask a question in French.
After the conversation with Cristofari, Roenicke presented a gift of a tea set from Thomas Jefferson’s home in Poplar Forest, located in Forest, Virginia as a tangible reminder that our allied relations with France date back to the earliest beginnings of our nation. Jefferson served as the U.S. minister to France.
Roenicke discussed the importance of taking students to the French and British embassies in Washington, D.C.
“This (experience) will afford them (students) the real-world experiences necessary to make informed decisions on their careers,” Roenicke said. “They witness how effectual diplomacy is conducted, and are able to actually participate in this process, thereby refining their own engagement skills. This active learning experience is incredibly valuable to a holistic education and will serve them well upon graduation when they enter a career in the international relations or national security fields.”
Next, students traveled to the nearby British Embassy, where they were greeted by a few British diplomats. Students learned how the United Kingdom collaborates with the United States and discussed the significance of their stances on some of world’s most pressing issues.
National security studies major, Lindsey Allen, asked how the U.K. balances faith and relationships with other countries.
“The Catholic Church has a huge influence in the world compared to us,” a representative from the U.K. said. “There’s a lot we can learn from the Catholic Church and how they reach a large mass of people.”
Roenicke presented the embassy with a tea set, identical to the gift given to the French embassy, also commemorating the United States’ centuries-old relationship with the United Kingdom and France’s pivotal role in the development of democracy.
According to many of the students, the personal engagement opportunity at the British Embassy was a favorite aspect of the trip as students had more time to interact and connect with the diplomats and take pictures with the UK-focused exhibits that were on display.
“It was fantastic, phenominal and (a) great experience to walk into two other countries because that’s basically what an embassy is (the sovereign legal property of a country). You are walking into their country, and you kind of get a glipse of their lives,” attendee Alexander Perez said. “We didn’t get a full tour, but we did get to talk to their representatives, and we got to get a little bit of a look into their mindset on the political scene.”
Morineau is a news reporter for the Liberty Champion.