Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Day 2: Dallas Historical Tour–Coby Steele, Brian King, and Zach Goodlander

We woke up Saturday morning at 7:30, eager to begin the day’s activities. We soon left for the Southern Methodist University campus and, on the way, we were able to get a glimpse of the George W. Bush Presidential Library, which we were excited to see as our group will be visiting the library the next day. When we arrived at the at SMU’s Hughes-Trigg Student center we were able to enter and get acclimated to where we would be spending most of our day.

The New Politics Forum was hosted by The Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life and the John G. Tower Center for Political studies at SMU. They were so kind as to provide participants with a complimentary breakfast array and time to socialize leading up to the first panel of the day.

SHSU Students with the NPF's Ann Stehling — SHSU Students with the NPF’s Ann Stehling

Our group was the first to greet the event staff and we were able to meet many interesting students as they arrived. After enjoyable conversations, we were called to the first panel at 9:30.

On the first panel were three politicians, Representative Rafael Anchia, Representative Kenneth Sheets and Chancellor Lee Jackson, each providing unique perspectives. Rep. Anchia stressed knowing your constituents and being able to relate to them. Rep. Sheets centered his discussion on remaining true to yourself and what you believe in and not being beholden to others. Chancellor Jackson, a former State Representative, focused on professionalism, emphasizing the importance for young people to be well dressed and responsible on social media, but also by working hard and staying late. It was his easy going personality and his obvious breadth of knowledge and experience that made Chancellor Jackson the favorite of Brian, Coby and Zach.

The first panel was followed by the Keynote speaker, State Senator Royce West. He spoke of his work in the Texas Senate and shared his history that led him to elected office. Senator West engaged with the audience during his speech, speaking to each one of us directly at one point or another. He was inspirational and uplifting, and he spoke highly of the character, dedication and hard work it should take to be a public servant. The Senator’s speech was truly captivating.

After Senator West concluded we broke for a box lunch, making sure to sit with people we didn’t already know, to network, exchange business cards and make new friends.

The second panel was composed of consultant Carol Reed and Dallas Morning News reporter Gromer Jeffers, providing us the consummate “insider” and “outsider” perspectives. Both stressed taking advantage of opportunities. Ms. Reed particularly stressed loyalty and speaking your mind and Mr. Jeffers encouraged us to follow our passions while maintaining integrity. We were fortunate enough after the panel ended to have a short, personal discussion with Mr. Jeffers.

The last panel was the “We did it, so can you!” Alumni Panel, which consisted of SMU alumni Warren Seay, Kristina Kiik, David de la Fuente, and Johnathan Boos. During the Alumni Panel, Dr. Dennis Simon moderated as recent SMU graduates gave their personal insight into the field of politics. One NPF alumnus, Warren Seay, offered knowledge of his election to board president for the Desoto ISD school board at the age of 22, explaining that hard work, skill, and reputation play key roles in electoral politics.

The event was interesting, and provided us with the opportunity to see students from other schools. In some ways, these students are our competitors. In others, they are our partners. Zach struck a particular bond with a visiting member of the Dallas Young Republicans, Casey Bingham, a lawyer, who also graduated from Willis High School.

After the networking event, we ventured to Eatzi’s Market and Bakery for dinner, indulging in various entrees such as: lemon marinated grilled chicken, chicken curry potato salad, salmon croquette, and hummus. Dessert followed—various flavors of gelato (Italian ice cream) at Paciugo Gelato Café.

We then headed to the southern edge of downtown to see Dallas City Hall, built in 1978 by I.M. Pei. Pei designed the unique building in the shape of an inverted pyramid which appeared to lean toward the center of downtown, bringing the workers closer to the heart of the city. The building was commissioned to revamp the image of Dallas after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and it features one of the best views of downtown.

Moving down Flora St. we came to Pioneer Plaza which has a collection of metal cowboys and steer, depicting a cattle drive along the Shawnee Trail. These two stops concluded our long and educational day. After leaving the Plaza, we came back to the hotel to recoup and ready ourselves for our last day.

Day 2: Dallas Historical Tour–Ariel Traub and Jennifer Flores

Saturday was the L.E.A.P students second day in Dallas. Each of us was up before sunrise to get ready for the central focus of our trip to Dallas, The New Politics Forum Careers in Politics at Southern Methodist University. We began by enjoying a complementary breakfast in the hotel lobby which included cinnamon rolls, cereal, fruit and even a pancake making machine!

We arrived at the SMU campus at 8:30 a.m. and began mingling with other program participants during the breakfast social.

The program consisted of several prominent speakers that would give advice to students about political and public service involvement as well as share their personal stories.

The first panel of speakers included Texas Representative Rafael Anchia, Texas Representative Kennith Sheets and Chancellor Lee Jackson. These distinguished public officials shared their stories of success along with their occasional frustrations working in government. Chancellor Jackson described his aversion to social media while Representatives Anchia and Sheets spoke of their succeess with social media in campaigning and re-election. When asked what each of their frustrations with policy making were, Representatives Anchia and Sheets bemoaned fundraising. However, Chancellor Jackson had a very different view. Chancellor Jackson, however, described some of the things he’d like to see enacted (e.g., professional salaries, annual sessions) as some of his biggest challenges.

Next, we heard from Senator Royce West, the keynote speaker. Senator West was very personable during his speech and never was there a dull moment! Senator West spoke of his career path and his journey to a Senatorial Seat. He opened the speech with a story about his college football coach. His sophomore year of college, he approached his coach and said. “Coach, I just don’t want to play football any more.” His coach began to get angry and said, “Royce, you’re never gonna amount to nothin’!” West was later elected president of Student Government and had to approve the football department’s budget. Before the football coach’s presentation, West said, “How do you like me now?” While his speech was funny and memorable, it also had purpose. He outlined four main points in his speech:
1. Try to work through the problem and work through it the best you can.
2. You can’t serve yourself and the public at the same time.
3. Listen and work with people ragardless of their political affiliation.
4. Most issues are geographical issues, not partisan issues.

He really strived to convey the message that being a public servant was not an easy path and has no room for self-interested thinking.

Next, a panel of media experts spoke about their experiences working within the political realm. The guest speakers were Carol Reed, President of The Reeds PRC and Gromer Jeffers, political reporter for the Dallas Morning News. Carol Reed worked on Senator John Tower’s campaign in 1976. She has also spearheaded “landmark” projects with American Airlines. Gromer Jeffers is originally from Chicago and he worked his way up the journalism ladder in Dallas, Texas. One of his first tasks as a political reporter was to cover Barack Obama’s presidency campaign.

After the media experts panel adjourned, the SMU alumni’s panel convened. The students included Warren Seay, President of DeSoto ISD Board of Trustees, Kristina Kiik, U.S. District Judge Royal, David de la Fuente, former President of Dallas County Young Democrats, and Jonathan Boos, President of Dallas County Young Republicans. The alumni discussed their experiences in the political world, both good and bad. They also shared a unanimous view that the best way for current college students to get involved in politics was to work on a campaign that we were passionate about.

After the Careers in Politics Conference, we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Eatzi’s. Eatzi’s has a wide variety of foods ranging from brisket tacos to chicken curry. The brisket tacos were delicious; however, they don’t compare to the brisket tacos at Farmhouse Sweets and Eats in Huntsville, Texas. Many of us became adventurous and tried new foods such as hummus, chicken curry and shrimp salad. After dinner, we ventured over to Paciugo Gelato Cafe for desert. There were so many flavors to choose from; however I chose peanut butter chocolate swirl. The gelato was unlike Blue Bell ice cream in so many ways! Gelato is much thicker, creamer and sweeter!

We concluded our night with two short pit stops. The first being Dallas City Hall. City Hall was built by I. M. Pei for 70 million dollars in the 1970s. It is an intriguing design, and made for a peaceful stop after a long day.

The building was constructed to allay the Texas heat, while also providing an intriguing design and a new image for a City known, at that time, as the home of Lee Harvey Oswald.

The second pit stop was the Dallas Pioneer Plaza Cattle Drive. The many statues of cattle depict authentic cattle drives in the south. There were seventy bronze statues of longhorns running through the park along with three bronze statues of cattle wranglers driving the herd. There are also beautiful water features throughout the Cattle Drive that help to add to the authenticity of the art.

In conclusion, today was a very memorable day! We learned a lot about politics from officials and experts that have been in the industry for quite a while. We were also able to expand our cultural knowledge and appreciation for Dallas, Texas!

Day 1: Dallas Historical Tour–Tessa Fendley

I, and other students involved in the L.E.A.P program, set off on our adventure to Dallas around noon this Friday afternoon, stopping along the way to visit the esteemed Woodbine Hotel for lunch, which is known for making delicious meals slathered in mushrooms. I ordered the alfredo pasta with vegetables, and it was delightful. The mushrooms were all that they had been hyped to be. We set off again after lunch, full and anxious to continue on to Dallas.

We arrived at the JFK 6th Floor Museum and quickly began our tour. We exlored the early campaigning techniques of JFK, focusing partly on how he used his youth to his advantage, as well as having the opportunity to have one the first televised presidential debates. This may have proved decisive, as he won by a small margin.

What I thought was very interesting was learning more about the public works programs he established, specifically the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps is government funded mission work, originally established by JFK to send service people to foreign countries to try and aid in what he hoped would be the eradication of Communism. Eventually JFK decided that these measures alone were not enough and the program was expanded. For me, this was very inspirational and hit close to home, as I hope to one day become involved in the Peace Corps.

Next we ventured on to dinner, and from there to the Dallas Museum of Art. There were many interesting things to be seen here. There was art work by well-known artists such as Picasso to anonymous, cultural artifacts from all over the globe. My favorite exhibit by a wide margin was the African artifacts. I particularly enjoyed seeing and learning about the different types of hats and masks that were worn in Africa…

My favorite was a hat that doubles as a mask…

The Museum also had an African map, designating the location the artifacts were collected.

For a freshman who wishes to do volunteer work in Africa as a junior, it was an exciting preview of things to come! And in that spirit, we left the Museum and headed to the hotel, equally anticipatory of the second day of our trip.

Day 1: Dallas Historical Tour–Ariel Traub

Today was day one of our journey to Dallas for the New Politics Forum Careers in Politics Seminar at Southern Methodist University (SMU). As we had several stops on our itinerary, we departed SHSU at 12:00pm for Madisonville, where we would have lunch at the Woodbine Hotel.

The Woodbine Hotel, located in the heart of Madisonville, offers local specialties on its lunch menu. The atmosphere of the Woodbine was very inviting and warm and the food was delicious. The table was neatly set and there were cookies awaiting us as well. Several of the dishes showcased mushrooms since Madisonville is known for their mushroom farms and annual mushroom festival.

Departing The Woodbine, we set out for the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, Texas. The drive was rocky due to thunderstorms; however, we managed to arrive safely. We embarked on our tour of the wonderful life and struggles of President John F. Kennedy. The Museum was set up to follow John F. Kennedy’s presidency chronologically. The tour started with his background and his family, then quickly moved to focus on issues that President Kennedy faced during his term, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Civil Rights Movement.

The majority of the tour, however, focused on President Kennedy’s assassination. The exhibits were very detailed, with examples and models that explained how and where the assassination took place. There were several videos throughout the exhibit that went into further detail about his presidency and the aftermath of the assassination.

The seventh floor of the Museum held a presidential photograph display. There were multiple candid photos of presidents throughout their presidencies. My favorite was of President Barack Obama enjoying a taco at a small diner while talking to the citizens in the diner!

We then ventured out to Dealy Plaza, President Kennedy’s assassination site. We were able to view the “x” marks on the road marking the exact spot where President Kennedy was shot both times. The Museum was a very enlightening experience that really opened my eyes to the complexity of the Kennedy Presidency.

Next, we arrived at The Spaghetti Warehouse for dinner. The atmosphere was comparable to an old circus with a train car in the middle of the dining room in which customers could sit and eat. Fortune telling machines and bright colors decorated the interior of the restaurant’s entryway. My meal, and dessert, was very delicious, and the portions were enormous!

Last, we made an impromptu stop at the Dallas Museum of Art. We toured the different levels of the museum, each focusing on a different type of art, ranging from African art to Picasso.

My favorite painting was “Conversion of St. Paul” by Benjamin West. This painting explained the journey of St. Paul and was both moving and provocative.

I can’t wait for day two of our wonderful adventure!

Day 1: Dallas Historical Tour–Jennifer Flores

Today, six other SHSU students and I left Huntsville for a weekend in Dallas. Our first stop upon arriving was the JFK Sixth Floor Museum. Fifty years ago history was changed from this very building that has been preserved to honor the memory of President John F. Kennedy. The Museum features insightful films and photographs that explore the legacy of Kennedy’s life, from his marriage to Jackie O to the many conspiracies surrounding his death.

As part of the tour, we made our way to the seventh floor of the Museum to see featured photographs of presidents throughout the last 100 years. The saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” holds true for this exhibit as the photographs range from the iconic black and white head shot of Abraham Lincoln to silly photographs of “Socks at the Podium” in which President Clinton’s family pet stands on the Press Podium of the White House.

Before leaving the Sixth Floor Museum we walked along Elm Street — the same street down which JFK was driven, waving to supporters, as he was killed. Our trip to the Sixth Floor Museum was a success, as we all enjoyed the exhibits while learning about history.

A few blocks away we enjoyed dinner at The Spaghetti Warehouse, where most enjoyed traditional Italian cuisine while a couple of more spontaneous travelers went for the Kung Pao Chicken Pasta and calamari. No matter the dish, it was a great dinner with great company.

To top off the night we ventured a few more blocks to the Dallas Museum of Art, which is home to amazing pieces of art reflecting many cultures and time periods of human existence. Our group was able to snap a shot next to Pablo Picasso’s “The Guitarist” painted in 1965.

SHSU Students and Picasso's "Guitarist" — SHSU Students and Picasso’s “Guitarist”

Perhaps a more deep-rooted and archaic painting, one of my favorite’s was Rembrandt Peale’s portrait of George Washington (dated 1824).

Peale's George Washington — Peale’s George Washington

In sum, I had a great time getting to know the members of my group and experiencing this day with them.

Day 1: Dallas Historical Tour–Dulce Martinez

We stated off our day with lunch at the Woodbine Hotel located in Madisonville, Texas. The Woodbine is the oldest building in Madison County. As you enter, your eyes are immediately drawn to the hand-made quilts in the main lobby of the hotel; some of which were made by the local residents of Madisonville. The Woodbine is best known for using fresh locally grown mushrooms in many of their entrées. One of my personal favorites is the East Texas Lunch Plate; it consists of grilled chicken topped with a mushroom sauce and served with a side of sautéed vegetables. I recommend it to everyone.

The Woodbine Hotel and Restaurant, Madisonville, TX — The Woodbine Hotel and Restaurant

Once we arrived in Dallas, our first stop was the 6^th Floor Museum. It is the notorious site where Lee Harvey Oswald shot and killed President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. We could not have chosen a better time to visit this historic site, which is nearing the 50^th anniversary of the tragic shooting that ended JFK’s life. The museum creates an atmosphere that takes you back in time to the events before and after the assassination. The combination of the visual displays as well as the audio devices provided, helped me visualize and have a better understanding of the type presidency that Kennedy had. Classroom learning can only show you so much, actually looking down onto Elm St. where the two x’s mark the spot where the bullets struck Kennedy gives you a better appreciation history.

For dinner, we decided to eat at the Spaghetti Warehouse in downtown Dallas. Its cuisine is classic Italian pasta. The restaurant presents a lively, comfortable feel complete with a wonderful staff. The warm environment helped to facilitate conversation between the students, who did not know each other yet. By recommendation of our waitress, I decided upon the Four-Cheese Manicotti, something I’ve never tried before. Big pasta tubes are stuffed with Italian cheese covered with a blend of fresh tomato sauce and Alfredo sauce. The tangy tomato sauce and the creamy rich Alfredo was a surprisingly nice combination that complemented each other well; I do not regret my choice at all.

As a nice unexpected surprise, the Dallas Museum of Art was having “Late Nights,” which is an event on the 3^rd Friday of each month.

It offers various tours, performances, activities, and reading throughout the night, free of charge. We decide to take advantage of this opportunity and explore the museum. One of my favorite exhibits was the artwork by Piet Mondrian. The exhibit showcases the transformation Mondrian made from being a post-impressionist landscape painter to an austere abstract artist. It was impressive to see the various stages of his art. His early work consisted of paintings of the Dutch countryside; he uses different shades of greens and browns to depict nature.

Later in his career, his art presented abstract bright colors that pop out to the modern viewer. Another fun aspect the museum has to offer is “Late Night Creations”, which allows the public to create their own form of expression through art. I chose to participate the Line Work with Amie Adelman.

This consisted of art with straight lines to create an illusion of 3-D art. I helped in assembling a group art display as well as started my own. The staff and volunteers engaged to public to add their own special touch to the wall. It was exciting to see the art come to live before your own eyes. Collaborating with strangers to work on a common goal was probably the highlight to my day.

Day 1: Dallas Historical Tour–Coby Steele

Today our group left Huntsville for the New Politics Forum “Careers in Politics” Seminar—making stops at interesting and historic stops along the way. Our first such stop involved an enjoyable lunch at Madisonville’s Woodbine Hotel, where I had the day’s special, grilled chicken smothered in a mushroom sauce with broccoli and two small baked potatoes. It was a wonderful meal, and a wonderful start to our trip.

The trip from Madisonville to Dallas was marked by a torrential downpour and a few traffic delays, but we were eventually able to make it to the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, Texas. The museum is set in the former Texas School Book Depository in downtown Dallas and is the site of one of the most famous assassinations in U.S. history: that of John F. Kennedy.

The museum chronicled JFK’s presidency leading up to that fatal day in November. We were able to see hundreds of Kennedy-era artifacts, which were complemented by numerous audio and visual clips. I was surprised at how divided the country was at the time, and it kind of reminded me today’s political climate. After finishing our tour of the museum, we went outside to look on Dealey Plaza to see the exact assassination spot. We strolled along the infamous “Grassy Knoll” and envisioned what it was like to be in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.

We hoped to dine at Ellen’s Southern Cooking (where “Grits Rule!”), but they were closed for a private party. Instead, we went to The Spaghetti Warehouse, where I had the signature spaghetti and meatballs and, for dessert, tiramisu. Not bad for a back-up choice.

As a nightcap, we made our way to the Dallas Museum of Arts, where we toured art galleries ranging from Ancient Greece and Rome to modern art from Europe and America. I most enjoyed the special exhibits featuring furniture and art works by Wendy and Emery Reves, who owned works by Renoir, Van Gogh, and many artifacts (and some paintings) by Winston Churchill.

With that touch of politics, we set out to prepare for tomorrow, when we learn about careers in politics. As a May 2014 graduate, I’m hoping to learn a lot.

Day 1: Dallas Historical Tour–Zach Goodlander

Broadening our horizons is what most college students want to accomplish during their education, but most don’t get the opportunity to do so. After just one day in Dallas, however, seven SHSU students are getting just such an opportunity.

This is my first educational field trip at SHSU, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Thus far, it’s been great, offering me the opportunity to meet fellows students (now new friends!) with similar interests as myself.

Our first stop was lunch at “The Woodbine” in Madisonville, where I ordered the grilled Chicken Alfredo. The Woodbine is also a bed and breakfast and a very well preserved building of the Victorian era. Its historic look and the fine food already have me wondering about a return trip in the future.

From there we trudged north, through rain, and arrived at Dealey Plaza, the site of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. The Sixth Floor Museum is so named because it was the sixth floor from which Oswald shot the President.

The Museum is well done, with audio accompaniment and thousands of artifacts showcasing the Kennedy era—the Cold War, Civil Rights, and, of course, the assassination. It’s disconcerting to move from the “Kennedy Family” exhibit to the “Assassination” exhibit, and have the tour change from an upbeat history to the terror of a presidential killing. The sniper’s nest used by Oswald is amazingly well preserved, so much so that this section seems frozen in time.

The most interesting section was the Kennedy Funeral. Not only did Kennedy’s death mark an end to an era—the end of Camelot—but, as a Catholic, I felt a personal connection to the funeral ceremony, which honored the life of the first and, thus far, only Catholic President.

The Museum offered a special exhibit on presidential photographs. We saw photos of Harding shaking hands with Babe Ruth…

…Nixon meeting Elvis…

…but none, unfortunately, of my favorite President, Calvin Coolidge (editor’s note: for good reason)…

After a stop at Spaghetti Warehouse for dinner, we headed to the Dallas Museum of Art. The Museum has floors dedicated to various exhibits, from the “Art of the Americas” to the “Art of Europe” and art from India, Africa, Greece, and other civilizations. I’m not astute art admirer, but there were some names I recognized: Rodin, Monet, and Picasso. But my favorite was “The Adoration of the Shepherds” by Paolo de Matteis.

As I wrap up my first day on my first trip I look to ahead to broader horizons and more opportunities in the form of the New Politics Forum’s Careers in Politics Seminar at SMU.

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