Neal Carr is a junior at Gettysburg College, double majoring in Political Science and Public Policy. He is involved with many different clubs and societies on campus, including a theme house, the dining committee, and Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. Neal is a current member of Inside Politics, Spring 2012.
How did you hear about EI? And why did you choose your program?
I actually heard about EI when I was applying early decision to Gettysburg. I thought it was a program that really made the school stand out relative to my other options. Although I didn’t get involved freshman year, I applied and gained admission to EI Fellow Jennifer Donahue’s Women in Leadership program EI offered last semester. I really enjoyed my experience with Jennifer, as well as my fellow members, and felt that I gained a lot of knowledge about the inner workings of our nation’s capital. Having the opportunity to meet with and candidly discuss an assortment of topics with important DC personalities was the best part of the program. Now, I’m involved with EI Fellow Kasey Pipe’s Inside Politics program and look forward to continuing my participation with EI.
What do you hope to get out of the program?
With Inside Politics I hope to continue learning about how DC operates. With my experience from the Women in Leadership program last semester, I learned a lot about what makes DC such a unique city, especially with its heavy emphasis on networking. Ei reflects this emphasis and offers a lot of help to students navigating the job search process. Soon after graduating, I hope to live in DC and I’m confident that what I’ve learned from these EI programs will carry over and help me out when I’ll be looking for career opportunities.
What advice would you give someone looking to get involved?
The first step is to apply! EI hosts a variety of programs every semester; some last for solely a semester, others run throughout the entire year. Be on the lookout in the Daily Digest or check out EI on the web for specific information. If you’re not interested in joining up with a program, EI hosts a range of lectures and events on campus as well as in their DC office (which they provide free transportation to for students!). I’m looking forward to this week’s Scharf Lecture “The Challenges of Modern Somali Piracy” presented by Lieutenant Commander Claude Berube. The biggest event they hosted last semester was Chris Matthews’ lecture, which had the CUB Ballroom filled to capacity! EI also has quite the web presence, as well, and I regularly check up on their student-run blog “Ike’s Anvil”, which offers political commentary and insight from fellow Gettysburg students.
What else are you involved in on campus?
In addition to my involvement with EI, I am the co-house leader for the new “Local Lovin'” theme house on campus. We’re dedicated to connecting college students to their surrounding community, as it’s a small town but has a lot to offer. We often publicize town events, new local businesses, cool places to visit in the surrounding area, and more. In addition to this, we strive to stay locally-minded in our everyday activities. As part of this, we’re involved with a CSA program hosted by a nearby organic farm. I’m also on the dining committee here at Gettysburg and serve as a liaison between the student community and the heads of Dining Services. It’s a really fun activity and I’m glad I’ve been a part of so many exciting new initiatives taken up by Dining Services this year (look for Bullet pizza deliveries soon!). I’m also involved with Greek Life here at Gettysburg and look forward to being a brother of Lambda Chi Alpha by the end of this semester.
