Jeremy Schilling of Marlboro, N.J. Travels to Washington, D.C. for Up Close Look at How Government Works

HAMDEN, CT (01/26/2010)(readMedia)-- Jeremy Schilling of Marlboro, N.J. was among eight Quinnipiac University students who traveled to Washington, D.C., over winter break to participate in seminars sponsored by the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, an independent, nonprofit organization that provides selected students opportunities to work and learn in Washington, D.C., for academic credit.

Schilling participated in "Inside Washington," a seminar that combines lectures, site visits, tours and special events to show students the impact of the political process and how the nation's leaders are addressing important issues of the day. The course explored perceived media bias, the role of the press in educating and framing issues on the national, domestic and foreign policy agendas, the significance of new technologies and how citizens can become more media literate as the nature of information shifts this century.

The first week of the program focused on the first year of the Obama presidency, as well as, the potential impact of the 2010 elections on both domestic and foreign policy. During the second week, students gained insight into how the media covers national politics and policies and communicates them to various audiences. It also focused on how candidates use new media forms and formats to bypass both the traditional political process and traditional news gatekeepers. Special attention was given to the impact of topical issues on the political process and how public affairs professionals work to spin the news.

Quinnipiac is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university enrolls 5,700 full-time undergraduate and 2,000 graduate students in 52 undergraduate and 19 graduate programs of study in its School of Business, School of Communications, School of Education, School of in Health Sciences, School of Law, and College of Arts and Sciences. Quinnipiac ranks among the top 10 universities with master's programs in the Northern region in U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges. The 2009 issue of U.S. News and World Report's America's Best Colleges named Quinnipiac as the top up-and-coming school with master's programs in the North. Quinnipiac also is recognized in Princeton Review's The Best 371 Colleges. For more information, please visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu.