Hogan Institute Takes Students to D.C. for Election Debrief

The new Washington College institute held a post-election event in Washington, D.C., with former governors Larry Hogan (R-Maryland) and Terry McAuliffe (D-Virginia) in partnership with the Ronald Reagan Center on Civility and Democracy.

Since its inception this fall, the Hogan Institute at Washington College has strived to inspire students and citizens to believe a better version of politics is possible. Through this semester’s events, policymakers and their teams from both sides of the aisle have been invited to talk about their experiences and what it’s like to take a bipartisan approach.

While most of these events have happened on the College’s campus in Chestertown, the Hogan Institute took advantage of our proximity to Washington D.C., and partnered with the Ronald Reagan Center on Civility and Democracy for its final event of the semester.

On Thursday, Nov. 5, a busload of students left Washington College headed for the Reagan Center for Common Ground Forum with former governors Larry Hogan (R-Maryland) and Terry McAuliffe (D-Virginia).

“At Hogan Institute, students are at the center of everything we do. We recognize that most of today’s college students aren’t old enough to remember a version of politics that didn’t involve name-calling and shouting, and we want to inspire them to 

believe that a better version of politics is possible. We also want to equip them with the tools and insights they need to turn that inspiration into action,” said Colin Pascal, executive director of the Hogan Institute.

Moderated by CBS News Chief  Washington Analyst Robert Costa, the forum largely focused on the results of Tuesday night’s election, which projected that Democrats would control both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

As President Trump will be starting in January, Hogan and McAuliffe both led the executive branch of their states while the opposite party controlled the state legislature. At the Reagan Center for Common Ground Forum, they shared stories of their bipartisan efforts throughout their tenures.

“They offered some interesting points about the election and how we move forward with bipartisanship,” said BJ King ’27. King, a political science and philosophy double major, has attended several Hogan Institute events throughout the semester.

Olivia Calvert ’27, an environmental studies and anthropology double major and presidential fellow, also attended the D.C. event and found the governors’ comments not only interesting, but also inspiring.

“It was truly moving to listen to conversations about the current political climate that put party lines aside and find common ground,” Calvert said. “They both provided true examples of leadership and what I believe to be missing in today’s politics and society.”

Following the event, students and alums of the College were invited to lunch with the governors, where they were able to ask additional questions.

“I was so proud to see our students engaging with two former governors and representing Washington College so professionally in our nation’s capital,” Pascal said. “They impressed everyone they met, and we’re excited to create more opportunities like this in the semesters ahead.”

While this was the Hogan Institute’s first event off campus, it certainly won’t be the last. Pascal hopes to continue to take advantage of D.C. and Annapolis to help more Washington College students gain access to state and national leaders and experiences that can only happen in capitals.

—MacKenzie Brady '21