The inaugural Student Government Immersion Program saw an ambitious group of twenty-seven students from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in Manila, Philippines, successfully complete an international education immersion program on federalism in Washington D.C. The program was designed, developed, and offered by the American Academy of Good Governance, one of the many offerings of the Global Education Initiatives Division of Creative Learning. The ten-day program was conducted from April 09 to April 18, 2017.
The program was highly appreciated by the participants as evidenced by their enthusiastic evaluations and by the experts who participated as speakers and resources.
The goal of the program was to teach students how American democracy is structured and governed at each level. Students learned the challenges of federalism by studying the American constitution from both legal experts and practitioners. They learned the intricacies of the legislative and judicial systems, and how public goods are delivered at the national, state, county, and city level.
The program had two pedagogical elements. The first, class room seminars that brought nationally and internationally renowned scholars and experts to the class to disseminate knowledge about American democracy and governance. The second, experiential education through working alongside practitioners and visiting key American institutions.
Students had the opportunity to visit the Congress, Mayoral offices, District Judges and courts, government agencies including the State Department, and Think Tanks including CSIS. The students also engaged in open panels where the conversation covered a wide array of governance issues without any limits on time or content.
Finally the students took a day off from classes to explore the historical sites in Washington DC and imbibe its culture and heritage.
For more information please contact:
Rachel Landale – Program Manager (Washington DC, USA)
