Citadel Marine Jason F. Murphy meets top Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C.

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Jason Murphy, an active duty enlisted Marine student at The Citadel, presents U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina with a Citadel token - a paperweight replica of a class ring.

CHARLESTON, SC (12/12/2012)(readMedia)-- Jason F. Murphy of Stockbridge, Mich., was among 24 Citadel students who recently traveled to Washington, D.C., where they met with some of the nation's foremost Congressional leaders.

Murphy is an officer candidate enrolled in The Citadel's Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP). He is majoring in history with a minor in Spanish. While in the Marine Corps, Murphy has served as a gunnery sergeant and tactical data systems specialist creating computer networks and facilitating communication in expeditionary/tactical environments. On campus, he is involved in Sigma Delta Pi Spanish Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi Collegiate Honor Society. Murphy will receive his officer's commission upon graduation in 2013.

Organized by Mallory Factor, the college's John C. West Professor of International Politics and American Government, the trip to the U.S. Capitol gave the cadets and active duty and veteran students the opportunity to meet and talk 21 members of the U.S. House and Senate. The Center for American Progress provided a breakfast panel discussion and the Heritage Foundation hosted the students for an evening reception.

"Mallory put together an impressive group of legislators for our students to meet and spend time with. We were all impressed and appreciative of the opportunity to talk about leadership and many of the issues facing our country with the men and women who are helping lead the way," said Citadel President Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, who made the trip with the students.

Among the legislators who spent time with the students were members of the South Carolina delegation: Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint and Reps. James Clyburn, Tim Scott and Joe Wilson. The students also heard from Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, John McCain of Arizona, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Richard Shelby of Alabama and Mike Lee of Utah. Lee introduced the students to Texas Sen.-Elect Ted Cruz. Speaker of the House John Boehner of Ohio participated as did Reps. Louie Gohmert of Texas, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Jack Kingston of Georgia, Steve King of Iowa and Allen West and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky hosted the students for lunch.

The Citadel, founded in 1842, is a public, coeducational military college in Charleston, S.C., that offers a classic military education for young men and women seeking a college experience that is meaningful and academically strong. With the core values of honor, duty and respect, The Citadel prepares principled leaders for the military as well as the global workplace.