Travel – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

LEAP Ambassadors Meet Ambassador Christopher Hill

While the LEAP Ambassadors enjoy representing SHSU and the LEAP Center, they also enjoy having the opportunity to learn from and meet some of the leading public officials of the 20th and 21st century. And it was especially true this week, when they met Christopher Hill, who has served as the U.S.’s Ambassador to Iraq, Poland, Macedonia, and South Korea as well as being named the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

The LEAP Ambassadors joined the World Affairs Council‘s event, entitled, “North Korea, Nuclear Weapons, & the Options for the U.S.,” which involved Hill outlining his experience being the representative for America at the famous six-party talks; a delegation of diplomats from China, Russia, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, and the U.S. to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis.

After an introduction by WAC CEO Maryanne Maldonado…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea, Maryanne Maldonado

Ambassador Hill took the stage to much applause.

He began his speech by contextualizing America’s foreign relations leading up to the North Korean nuclear crisis as well as detailing the current administration’s direction of action.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea

The path to the current situation, however, was full of negotiating ups-and-downs–with the primary setback occurring when North Korea reneged on their 1994 agreement to halt nuclear production. Their lack of compliance was made public in 2003, when it was discovered that N. Korea was producing and processing enriched uranium.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea

What followed was the “six-party talks,” in which the a multi-country coalition–led by Hill–tried to convince North Korea to abandon its Weapons of Mass Destruction program. While progress was made on this objective–particularly in 2005–North Korea pulled out of the talks in 2009 and, shortly thereafter, tested a nuclear device underground, a clear violation of the 1994 agreement and the six-party talks.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea

While past negotiations have not been productive, Hill was not impressed by the current administrations’ approach to diplomacy, which the former Ambassador described as being a deviation from normal diplomatic processes. He also commented on the high-rate of turnover under the current administration, noting that he couldn’t keep up with which diplomatic officials were currently in place.

Following Ambassador Hill’s formal talk, WAC’s Director of Programming, Ronan O’Malley, facilitated a short Q & A, and Ambassador Hill did a masterful job–befitting a former diplomat–of responding to audience questions.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea

After the event, we had a chance to meet Ambassador Hill…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, World Affairs Council, Ambassador Christopher Hill, Korea

…and we left with an appreciation of Hill’s non-partisan approach to international diplomacy. Ambassador Hill served four presidents during his time in the State Department, two Democrats and two Republicans, and that spirit animates the LEAP Ambassadors in its endeavors.

Following the event, we set out for dinner that would provide a culinary exploration of the Asian continent about which we had just learned. The result was “Auntie Chang’s Dumpling House.” It goes without saying that the assorted dumplings we had as an appetizer were delicious, but the real treat was the spread that lay before us for the main course. There was fried duck in black pepper sauce,

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Auntie Chang's Dumpling House

…lo mein…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Auntie Chang's Dumpling House

…mu shu pancakes…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Auntie Chang's Dumpling House

…which were prepared at the table…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Auntie Chang's Dumpling House

… hunan-style eggplant…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Auntie Chang's Dumpling House

…and seafood stir fry.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Auntie Chang's Dumpling House

The dinner as a whole was spectacular

Knowing that we were near the infamous “Cupcake ATM”, we decided to head over to Westheimer to enjoy a quick dessert.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Cupcake ATM

It was a unique experience in which we chose our flavor and watched as the machine picked them out one-by-one until all of them were served at once on the platter behind a sliding door. Everyone was delighted with their choices.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Cupcake ATM

Then, after a very long day of political enrichment and culinary embellishment, we drove back to SHSU to prepare for our next event.

LEAP Ambassadors Enjoy Jane Harper Books and Food “Outback”

It isn’t too unusual for the LEAP Ambassadors to meet someone that is nationally known. It is rare, however, that we get to meet someone who first reached stardom in Australia. Jane Harper, a novelist from Melbourne published her first novel The Dry in 2016, and it soon became an international bestseller. It reached audiences from all over the world and allowed her to write a follow-up book called Force of Nature and a standalone, her latest work, entitled The Lost Man. She is currently on a media tour of the US to promote The Last Man, and this tour allowed the Ambassadors to cross her path.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Murder by the Book, Jane Harper, Amelia Passanza, The Lost Man

After a rather extended trip into Houston, we finally arrived at “Murder by the Book.” Even though we arrived thirty minutes before the event began, almost all of the seats were already taken, with even more patrons standing in the back.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Murder by the Book, Jane Harper, Amelia Passanza, The Lost Man

Luckily, we managed to grab a few seats before even more readers flocked in.

Harper was introduced by John McDougal, the Event Coordinator for MBTB and then interviewed by employee Cindy Burnett who, not coincidentally, has been a fan of Jane Harper’s ever since The Dry was published.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Murder by the Book, Jane Harper, Amelia Passanza, The Lost Man

Ms. Burnett asked questions ranging from Harper’s inspiration to write, to the plot and characters of her latest novel, and to personal questions about the writing process.

Harper was very well-spoken, as expected, but was relaxed despite being on her first US tour. Perhaps most interesting was the manner in which Ms. Harper got her start writing novels. As a journalist for 13 years, writing was second-hand to her, but even considering this, her brisk path to publishing best-sellers was pretty amazing. She took a short online class on writing novels, and she completed a 40,000 word draft in 12 weeks. From that point, she knew she had six months to submit her work for consideration of the Victorian Premier Literary Award, for the top Australian unpublished manuscript. She won, prompting massive attention–and offers–for her new book, The Dry.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Murder by the Book, Jane Harper, Amelia Passanza, The Lost Man

Also of interest was the research she did on her latest book, The Lost Man. Set in the extreme outback, the novel addresses isolation and loneliness, while revolving the mystery of Cameron Bright who died, seemingly lost, at the foot of a grave in the middle of the outback.

Ms. Harper traveled through the outback, interviewing inhabitants of isolated communities to learn the folkways and patter of the outback dwellers. The results were intriguingly offered up in The Lost Man, which explores the efforts of Nathan Bright to find out they mystery of his brother’s death.

After the discussion, we had the chance to meet Ms. Harper and get our new books signed by her.

Also, since we stayed until most of the fans left, we were lucky enough to get a group picture with her, while also meeting her New York publicist, Amelia Possanza, whom Professor Yawn had worked with on a review of The Dry in The Houston Chronicle.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Murder by the Book, Jane Harper, Amelia Passanza, The Lost Man

Famished after a long day of travel and learning, we drove around the block to eat at “Platypus Brewing” located off Washington Avenue in Houston.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Murder by the Book, Jane Harper, Amelia Passanza, The Lost Man, Platypus Brewing

The orders consisted of a traditional Aussie pie (similar to a shepherd’s pie but with ground beef substituted in), surf ‘n turf, a sausage roll, a butterflied chicken sandwich, a massive grilled cheese, and a colossal burger called the “Platypus Burger.”

It’s safe to say that we left the restaurant with full stomachs and smiles on our faces. We left Houston that night thankful for the opportunity that LEAP provided to meet with such a talented and well-known author.

February 3 in History: LEAP And Sidney Lanier

On this day in 1842, the poet Sidney Lanier was born. Lanier was born in Macon, Georgia, and in addition to being a poet, he was an attorney, a teacher, and a musician.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Sidney Lanie, Macon Georgia

The LEAP Ambassadors visited his home in 2016….

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Sidney Lanie, Macon Georgia

…where they learned more about his life, career, and poetry.

But this was not all new to them, because Huntsville has one of the few replicas of “Thorwaldsen’s Christ” in its “Oakwood Cemetery.” This replica, commissioned and paid for by the Powell Family, includes a verse from Lanier’s “Into the Woods My Master Went.”

The LEAP Ambassadors visit this sculpture every “heART of Huntsville,” and we also commissioned Mark Burns to photograph the sculpture.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Oakwood Cemetery, Huntsville Texas, Sidney Lanier, Thorwaldsen's Christ, Mark Burns, Into the Woods My Master Went

Happy birthday to Mr. Lanier!

A Day at the Bush Presidential Library

The LEAP Ambassadors are always up for learning new things, and we recently were offered a trifecta of new opportunities: (1) tour the Bush School for Public Service, (2) visit the Bush Presidential Library, (3) and hear Madeleine Albright discuss her career and thoughts on the current political climate.

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The Bush School of Public Service

The Bush School of Public Service is one of the outstanding graduate programs in the US, particularly in the area of public administration. Kathryn Myers, along with two graduate students, did a great job of providing an overview of the program, while also giving insight from a student’s perspective.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush School of Public Service

Broadly speaking, they offer two programs: a Master’s in Public Service and a Master’s in International Affairs. For the Public Service program, additional tracks (e.g., non-profit management) and concentrations (e.g., state and local policy) are offered.

One of the interesting aspects of the Bush School is the cost. Tuition and fees are about $12,000 a year and, on average, Bush School students receive $4,000 worth of scholarships annually. When you factor in the fact that College Station has a lower cost of living than most places with top-ranked graduate schools, the savings are real and substantial.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush School of Public Service

The students on hand also did a good job representing the Bush School. Both indicated that the collegial, supportive environment was a big reason they enjoyed the school, and both indicated that the diversity of career options was a real selling point for them.

We left the Bush School tour opened up many more options for us, and we left the School feeling excited about post-graduate plans.

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The George Bush Presidential Library

The Presidential Library showcased the life of Former President George H.W. Bush and his career in Public Service. Following a photo-op exhibit of the Presidential Limousine…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush Presidential Library, George H W Bush

…the Museum opened with exhibits on Bush’s early childhood with his father, former Senator Prescott Bush, and his upbringing.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush Presidential Library, George H W Bush

One of the things that distinguishes President Bush from average citizens–and even other Presidents–is the diversity and richness of his career. One of the highlights, for example, was President Bush’s years in the military. President H.W Bush served in World War II as a Naval Aviator in the Pacific Theater of the war. His bomber was shot down over the Pacific during a mission, and the exhibit displays an exact replica of the Bomber he flew. He was in this type of plane–The Avenger–in 1944, when he was shot down and had to ditch his plane at sea. While he parachuted out and survived, his crew mates perished.

In 1945, President Bush married America’s future First Lady Barbara Pierce. This young couple then embarked to Midland, Texas, where Bush began his oil career and entree to a political life.

After two unsuccessful runs for the Senate and one four-year stint as US Congressman, Bush held a series of foreign policy positions, all of which were addressed in the Library: Ambassador to the United Nations; US Ambassador to China; and then Director of the CIA.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush Presidential Library, George H W Bush

His role as Vice-President in the 1980s, further raised his profile, and burnished his foreign policy resume, as President Reagan often utilized Bush in a foreign policy role.

The Library opens his presidential years with a replica of the Oval Office–and they allow photos at the executive desk!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush Presidential Library, George H W Bush

Additional exhibits include a gift room, full of gifts from foreign leaders;

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush Presidential Library, George H W Bush

…a Cabinet Room, where decisions were made…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush Presidential Library, George H W Bush

…a room highlighting the end of the Cold War–on that features a large slab of the Berlin Wall; and a very large exhibit on the Persian Gulf War.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush Presidential Library, George H W Bush

Although our tour was short on time, we came away with a lot of knowledge, and a deeper appreciation of President Bush and his role in shaping the 20th century.

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Secretary of State Madeleine Albright

Another shaper of (very late) 20th Century history was Madeleine Albright who, in 1997, was named the 64^th Secretary of State. As the first-ever female SOS, she became the highest-ranking female official in US History.

Secretary Albright has since served as chairperson for the National Democratic Institute and as a member of the U.S. Defense Department’s Defense Policy Board, and eventually became a New York Times bestselling author. Secretary Albright was at the Bush School for a book signing and discussion over her newest bestselling book Fascism: A Warning.

While the Bush Presidential Library was hosting Secretary Albright, the World Affairs Council worked with the Library to obtain a block of tickets, which were then offered to members.

The LEAP Ambassadors joined the World Affairs Council in this book signing and got the special chance to meet Secretary Albright and have our books personalized!

Finally, the group gathered with the World Affairs Council again to listen to Secretary Albright discuss her book and ideas of the future.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush Presidential Library, George H W Bush, Madeleine Albright

The moderated discussion was a series of questions where she discussed her upbringing and how it related to where she is today.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush Presidential Library, George H W Bush, Madeleine Albright

Her message was clear: There is still a path for American interests abroad through diplomacy. She warned that there are those who believe in American Superiority without diplomatic resolutions, and that these people do not understand how to conduct American foreign policy.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush Presidential Library, George H W Bush, Madeleine Albright

There are also foreign entities who are trying to undermine the American sphere of influence and democracy, but “we believe in the right and responsibilities of the individual” and we need to continue to spread “American ideals and never disregard democracy.”

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Bush Presidential Library, George H W Bush, Madeleine Albright

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Dinner at Tanaka Ramen

After the event, the LEAPsters ate dinner at Tanaka Ramen, a noodle bar located in College Station. The students devoured their dishes as it was the first time for many to have the real thing–as opposed to the inferior 25 cent instant ramen.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Tanaka Ramen

For dessert, they enjoyed Mochi balls, a delicious spherical dollop of ice cream encased in frozen dough. Of the six flavors ordered, red bean seemed to be the unlikely favorite. After the delicious dinner of noodles and broth, the students rode home in anticipation of the election results that night!

The LEAP Center would like to thank the World Affairs council for allowing us to attend this event with them. This has made such a large impression on us students and they could not have had this opportunity without them. We look forward to working and attending many more events to come!

Houston Retreat: 2.0

The Leap Ambassadors started off the second day of their retreat by holding a productive refresher meeting that especially benefited those of us who are new to the position. We discussed etiquette, professionalism, and overall expectations for how to represent Sam Houston as best we can. After the meeting, we all agreed that it was lunch time.

Although it is a hidden gem, Andes Café is a must try when you are in Houston. It is a South American kitchen named after the Andes Mountains, because they unite Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. We were excited, as most of the Ambassadors had never eaten at a South American restaurant before. After we settled into our table, we ordered our drinks. A few of us were adventurous and ordered a chicha morada, also known as the purple corn drink. After tasting it, we agreed that it was similar to a berry juice but lighter and more refreshing. As we looked at the menu, it was interesting to see that next to every menu item it had the country or countries abbreviation from where the plate originated. To start, we ordered the La Colombia, a trio of Colombian sausage, beef empanada and “arepita” corn patty, and the Super Jalea, a bowl of fried shrimp, white fish, and plantains.

Some of our entrees included a Peruvian ceviche, calentado con huevos, a mix of rice, beef, pork belly, sausage, black beans, and two sunny side up eggs…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston Texas, Andes Cafe

…and a Columbian hamburguesa with a beef patty, bacon, ham, and a pineapple sauce.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston Texas, Andes Cafe

Needless to say, it was all overwhelmingly delicious.

With full bellies, we decided that we’d pay a visit to “Soaring in the Clouds”, an art installation done by artist Ed Wilson, who had recently done “The Raven” at SHSU. The piece is a sixty-two feet tall hanging sculpture in the entrance of the George R. Brown Convention Center but hangs from the ceiling, which is ninety-two feet above the floor.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston Texas, Ed Wilson

If you looked at it at night, you’d see birds and clouds made of perforated steel suspended by wires with colorful lights dancing off of them creating a beautiful glow throughout the room. After admiring the art piece and taking a few photos…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston Texas, Ed Wilson

…we headed across the street to wander around Discovery Green – a beautiful park filled with sculptures by various artists and even a small lake where people can rent kayaks.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston Texas, Discovery Green

After seeing the sights at George R. Brown and taking a brisk walk around Discovery Green, we hopped in the car and headed over to Montrose to check out the Rothko Chapel and the Menil Collection.

The Rothko Chapel was originally meant to be designed by Philip Johnson who designed St. Basil’s Cathedral, which we visited on the campus of St. Thomas’s University just the day before. He was also part of a joint team that designed Williams Tower, which stands among other skyscrapers in Houston. For the interior, Mark Rothko, a favorite artist of John and Dominique de Menil, was commissioned to fill the chapel with fourteen paintings, and due to Johnson’s and Rothko’s differing artistic visions, the task of completing the building was eventually turned over to local architects Howard Barnstone and Eugene Aubry.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston Texas, Rothko Chapel, Barnett Newman, Broken Obelisk

Even though the chapel’s creation was a bit tempestuous, the mood there was tranquil and solemn, as the space was intended to create a mindful and reflective experience to all who enter.

After a brief time in the chapel, we went outside and strolled next door to the building that houses the Menil Collection. Located on the lot adjacent to the Rothko Chapel, the Menil Collection consists of over 16,000 pieces of art from the private collection of the Menils and is free to the public. Victoria was the only one of the ambassadors that had visited the museum before, but she was eager to see how many more artists she could recognize since her last time there. Photography wasn’t allowed inside any of the galleries (only the hallways),

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston Texas, Menil Collection

…so we were unable to take pictures of our favorite pieces. Well, with the exception of Alexander Calder’s, whose sculpture is in the hallway!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston Texas, Menil Collection, Alexander Calder

Something interesting is that the museum has an entire section devoted to Claes Oldenburg and his Geometric Mouse sculpture, which we had seen a larger scale version of outside of the Houston Public Library while traversing through Houston.

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The LEAP Ambassadors also saw a Claes Oldenburg sculpture on our trip to Denver last Spring, as well as in Marfa, Texas; Philadelphia, Dallas, and many other places.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Claes Oldenburg, Denver

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Claes Oldenburg

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Claes Oldenburg, Philadephia

Nasher Sculpture Garden, Claes Oldenburg, LEAP Center, SHSU

At the Menil Collection, those among us that are not too familiar with art had a nice collection from which to begin learning! We discussed a few of the pieces that we found to our liking and ones that we thought were odd (of which there are many!) on the way back to the van. Our next and final stop was the Cloud Column by the Glassell School of Art!

The Cloud Column is a two-story tall oval shaped structure by artist Anish Kapoor, who is most famous for “Cloud Gate” in Chicago. The highly polished stainless-steel material creates a vivid reflection which, coincidentally, was the exact purpose of the piece – reflection. The idea is that the concaved center of the cloud allows for the reflection to bend, creating a blended image in which the clouds meet the Houston skyline.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Cloud Column, Anish Kapoor, Houston

We admired it for a more-than-brief moment before moving on to the rooftop garden which overlooks Downtown.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Cloud Column, Anish Kapoor, Houston

After an exciting and fulfilling trip to Houston, thus concluded the LEAP Retreat, and the Ambassadors were ready to return to Huntsville for class the next day.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Cloud Column, Anish Kapoor, Houston

Ambassador’s Houston Retreat

After an early start to the day and a brief stint with the car rental company, the LEAP Ambassadors were ready to begin their annual retreat. This time, we set off toward Houston for a fun and enriching weekend-long tour of the city. While our focus was on becoming better ambassadors, there were a few exciting events in the itinerary that we were very much looking forward to.

The LEAP Ambassadors marked the beginning of their retreat with an interesting take on African dining. Peli Peli in the Galleria caters African food with a colonial twist that many of the Ambassadors have never tried before. The dining room has a domed ceiling that is meant to emulate the view from beneath a canopy of trees in the desert and it’s backlit through a pattern of leaves and branches. Its culinary tributaries include English, Dutch, Indian, Portuguese and local indigenous flavors. Ranging from Chicken Espetada (a mango sauce covered chicken), Bobotie (a traditional South African dish, much like shepherd’s pie), kingklip (filleted eel), and many other wonderful dishes. The food that was brought out had different looks to each dish; some on a kabob stick hanging…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, Peli Peli

…and some decorated on the plate with unique sauces! While the entire spread was delectable, the kingklip and bobotie was a table favorite. The LEAP Ambassadors also had the pleasure of eating with former Ambassador Bianca and catch us all up on her life since she has graduated. She was able to offer advice and insight into her career in the fraud department at Woodforest National Bank. Her stories about her work made for interesting table talk among us and, before long, the main course was over and out came desert. We ordered the “Desert Trio,” a sampler of chocolate mousse, Melk tart (South African crème brûlée), and sticky toffee pudding. For this, there was no consensus on which dessert was the best.

After lunch, the Ambassadors headed towards Ice at the Galleria, the ice rink that is filled with people year-round. All Ambassadors except Ilexus have ice skated before, but everyone struggled with it, some more than others.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, Galleria Ice Rink

(In fairness, Chase was actually the best of the skaters.) As we gained our balance and our ground…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, Galleria Ice Rink

…we eventually enjoyed gliding through the rink and showing off some of our “skills”.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, Galleria Ice Rink

Some guidance and working as a team were required (insert individual pictures of us holding hands and skating) to make sure we didn’t fall.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, Galleria Ice Rink

When we left the rink, we felt a wave of exhaustion rush over us, but the day wasn’t over yet!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, Galleria Ice Rink

After showing off our grace on the ice rink, we made our way to “Murder by The Book”, a local Houston bookstore filled with copious mystery, murder, and crime books.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, Murder by the Book

It is one of the oldest and largest bookstores that specializes in mystery books. After exploring the shelves, we found books that piqued our interest and became captivated in the works of certain authors such as Stephen King and Courtney Summers, while also catching a presentation by author Amy Stewart….

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, Murder by the Book

And when we left, we each left with a novel that caught our interest.

For our next stop, we were honored to see the work of one of the most influential American architects, Philip Johnson. The Chapel of St. Basil, which is located on The University of St. Thomas’ campus, exudes Modern and Post-Modern architecture styles, both of which Johnson is best known for.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, Chapel of St. Basil, Philip Johnson

Complementing the Chapel is the Felice Babin Gueymard Memorial Garden. This garden is a monument to tranquility and reflection. It’s filled with three fountains that rest behind a labyrinth which is often used for meditation and prayer. Some of us spent many minutes taking the long journey to the center.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, University of St. Thomas

After calming our minds in the Memorial Garden, we headed to the We Heart Houston sculpture by David Adickes – a tribute to the pride resonating from the locals that reside in the massive city.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, We Heart Houston, David Adickes

Last time we visited, it rested along I-10. It has since been moved to the promenade near 8th Wonder Brewery in east Downtown Houston to provide a safer place for picture taking. After what seemed like the fiftieth jump, we finally came out with a decent L.E.A.P picture.

In the same location resides Adickes’ larger than life sculpture of The Beatles. Luckily, it was easier to take a picture with them without having to jump, plus we had Bianca as our photographer, so things came out wonderfully!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, We Heart Houston, David Adickes

Although many of the LEAP Ambassadors could not name all 4 members, at least they came out with new knowledge to show off to their peers when the time comes.

In order to make it to our final event of the day on time, we had to sacrifice a sit-down meal for the sake of efficiency. Fortunately for us, this provided the alternative of getting delicious smoothies from Nékter Juice Bar – a smoothie chain just around the corner from our hotel in Downtown.

After grabbing our smoothies and changing into more formal clothes, we made our way to the Alley Theater. The Alley Theater opened in 1968 and is now a nationally recognized non-profit theater led by Interim Artistic Director James Black and Managing Director Dean R. Gladden. The showing at the time was Twelfth Night, a comedy written by William Shakespeare around 1601. When we arrived, we took a quick selfie outside and then made our way to our seats. As we walked into the theatre, our excitement grew as we saw the setup of the stage.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, Alley Theater, William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

There was a big white wall with a staircase leading down. The stage was surrounded by a pool of water with a stone path that bridged the main stage with the outside edge. We could not wait to see how the play would incorporate it. There was a loud crack of lighting and then rain fell from the ceiling into the pool of water around the stage marking the beginning of the play. The next two hours were filled with astonishment, impressiveness, and lots of laughter. It was quite late by the end of the play, so each of the Ambassadors were exhausted, but happy from having seen a great play and having had a great day.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, Alley Theater, William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

We returned to the hotel and settled into our rooms – excited for day 2 of the retreat.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Houston, Galleria Ice Rink

2019 Governor’s Inauguration

Makayla Mason

It was a chilly morning as we left our hotel to walk two blocks to the Capitol. As we walked towards the capitol building, our excitement began to grow as we saw the stage with the giant Texas flag above it and the rows of chairs filled with programs.