LEAP Ambassadors – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Mexican Delights & Mediterranean Bites: Retreat Eating, Done Right

Food is comfort, culture, community, and one of the many things LEAP explores. In Houston for the weekend for a retreat, the LEAP Ambassadors and other students enjoyed some local flavors.

Cochinita & Co

Written by Isis Hollis

We kicked off our retreat’s first food experience with a very enjoyable meal from Cochinita & Co. This brick-and-mortar location blends traditional Mexican cuisine with modern dining to bring Houston delicious bites for all to enjoy!

Victoria Elizondo, a two-time James Beard Award nominee, is the owner and chef of the restaurant that started out as just a small food truck. Her experience helped her curate an undoubtedly top-quality menu for the restaurant, ranging from appetizers to desserts. To start, we enjoyed the flavorful dishes of elote (roasted corn with cheese and morita aioli), totopos (freshly made seasoned chips), and guacamole.

With the appetizers quickly gone, the main courses came out hot, fresh, and so visually appealing we could hardly resist digging in before the photos. At the suggestion of LEAP Ambassador Michelle, two of us got the signature entrée, the Cochinita Pibil. The dish consisted of pulled pork, a citrus marinade, and pickled onions, with excellent additions of side dishes of rice and beans.

Professor Yawn indulged in the breakfast chilaquiles. The crispy tortilla chips paired with the spices from the chorizo made for a tasty meal that nearly everyone at the table tasted. Avocado, fresh cheese, cilantro, and other toppings not only decorated the plate but also served as even more flavor enhancers.

After the relished meal and engaging conversations, everyone credited the great experience at Cochinita & Co set the stage for a productive day of “retreating”!

Phoenicia Specialty Foods

Written by Jacob Wessels

We also visited Phoenicia Specialty Foods in downtown Houston on the second day of our weekend retreat, and that experience also exceeded our expectations.

From the moment we entered the market, it was clear that this store had an enormous selection, making decisions on what to eat very difficult. Filled with international snacks, spices, sauces, cheeses, and deli meats that are clearly a curated selection from around the world, it’s easy to come in for one item and leave with several others, each unique and carefully chosen.

As impressive as the market is, the real highlight for our group was the hot meal bar. Phoenicia makes it easy to grab a full meal, whether you’re looking for something quick or want to sit down and enjoy your food. The options range from shawarmas to plated meals, with enough variety that you’ll likely reconsider what you planned to order.

Many of our members chose different entrees (such as shrimp pasta, salads, hummus, dolmas, and falafel)…

…but the shawarma stole the spotlight–those who chose this dish agreed on the warmth, level of seasoning, and that it was a dish packed with flavor. In fact, we each agreed our choices had unique attributes, from bold spices to satisfying textures, but all had that “made with love” feel.

Throughout the entire meal, it was clear we all genuinely enjoyed the experience. Phoenicia Specialty Foods is more than a lunch stop; it’s a downtown Houston experience. Between the global variety on the shelves and the meal options that truly deliver, it’s the kind of place that feels worth the visit. Several of us plan on returning; if you’re looking for something different, flavorful, and fun to explore, it’s a spot you should add to your list.

World Affairs Council: Sex as a Spycraft Tool

Written by Olivia McCaughan

I have attended many World Affairs Council Events, but none has caught my interest in the way that Dr. Tam Dao did with his presentation on “Sexpionage”–the use of sex in the world of espionage.

Dr. Doa is the Associate Vice President for Campus Safety and Research Security at Rice University. Before joining Rice University, Dr. Dao held various positions at the FBI, including work in the counterintelligence task force, classified briefings, and as a certified hostage negotiator.

The event was in a smaller setting, making it more intimate and interactive.

Dao noted that men are much likely to be “victims” of sexpionage than women, and the examples he offered, such as Lt. Col. Benjamin Bishop, bore that out. We also discussed the case of Robert Hanssen, although this was not a true “sexpionage” case.

Not all the cases, however, were as high profile as the above. In many cases, the “espionage” is the process of surreptitiously gaining access to professors’ academic research. Interestingly, Dao noted, many of the people who are seeking this information are doing it for the love of their native countries–despite the fact that they live in the United States and enjoy the opportunities the US affords them.

Dao, an immigrant himself, finds this behavior curious and ironic. While acknowledging flaws in the US culture, politics, and economic system, he praised the US for the opportunities it has offered him and his family.

This was one of the most enjoyable of the WACs we have attended, a sentiment we shared with Dr. Dao following his presentation.

Katz’s Deli

Following the WAC event, we stopped at Katz’s Deli, where we enjoyed various deli-type sandwiches, including a Lox sandwich, a Reuben…

…cabbage rolls…

…and some shakes for the road.

It was a sweet ending to an enjoyable evening!

Internship Informational: City Fellows, Sam Houston Austin Internship Program, and Washington, DC

SHSU students visited the historic Peabody Library on campus while learning about internship opportunities in Huntsville; Austin, TX; and Washington, DC. The learning came from reliable sources: Professor Mike Yawn and several former interns who had intern and worked everywhere from Huntsville to Capitol Hill.

Daniel North worked on Senator Claire McCaskill’s campaign and in her Capitol office before going into law. Ademide Adedokun also interned on Capitol Hill before working as a staff aide, and then moving into the executive branch. Israel Gallegos, a current SHSU student, spent Spring 2025 interning for Congressman Morgan Luttrell. Also on hand were current students Makenna McDaniel and Michelle Cardenas, both of whom completed the SHAIP program in 2025, working for Representative Will Metcalf and Governor Greg Abbott, respectively.

The programs are described below:

City Fellows

The City Fellows program is for students who would like to have a part-time internship while still attending classes in Huntsville. Students earn academic credit while working 15-20 hours per week (paid at $10.00 an hour) on a project for a local government office, non-profit, law office, or business.

These internships are project based, meaning that the agency is seeking an intern who can complete a semester-long activity. This might include offering recruiting instructors and offering programs for activities; conducting a salary survey for various jobs across the state; planning a large event; working on a marketing campaign for a new undertaking; or implementing an audit of government services. The application for summer internships opens April 1, with interviews in late April.

Daniel, Ademide, and Michelle all did City Fellows internships before moving to Austin and/or DC for higher-profile internships.

SHAIP

The Sam Houston Austin Internship Program was created by President Dana Hoyt in 2012, and Professor Yawn began implementation that year.

The timeline for this program is:

September 1: Applications Open
October 1: Applications Close
Early October: Students are selected for interviews
Mid-October: Panel Interviews
Early November: Students interview at Austin offices
January 3-June 1: Students intern in Austin

Selected students gain a scholarship of up to $8,000, earn six hours of academic credit, gain valuable skills, and great networking opportunities. It is a full-time experience, as recalled by Makenna McDaniel: “You begin by working about 40 hours per week, but by the end of session, that can end up being 80 hours a week. But if you are hard-working, it is an invigorating experience.”

The Chancellor’s DC Internship

The Chancellor’s DC Internship program was officially launched just weeks ago, and it involves selecting ten students from across the Texas State University System’s four-year institutions. Each student selected earns six hours of credit and a scholarship of up to $10,000 for the semester, while spending the semester in Washington, DC–a major draw of the experience. “It was a great opportunity to be in DC,” noted Israel Gallegos, “and work in the capitol building while also getting to experience the broader environment.”

The timeline for this program is:

February 2: Applications Opened
March 1: Applications Close
Mid-March: Interviews
Late-March: Follow-Up Interviews
Early April: SHSU selects up to five applicants and send their applications to the System Office
Late April: The System Office Reviews Applications
May: The System selects ten students
Fall Semester: Students work in DC

“This opportunity,” noted Ademide Adedokun, “can change lives. It changed mine, and I spent the next 13 years of my life in Washington, DC.”

Concluding Thoughts

Of course, students applying for any of these programs should have good grades, be disciplined, punctual, engaged, professional, and be coachable. For all of the programs, the more activities students participate in, the better chance they will have to demonstrate the qualities cited above. Academically, students will need a 2.8 or better (almost always better) to be competitive in the application process. For the SHAIP and DC programs, competitive applicants will have GPAs in the 3.5 and up range.

“For almost anything you want to do,” noted Daniel North, “having experiences like this–in the field and around people with amazing skills–will benefit your career, expand your horizons, and enhance your success.”

Contracts, Promissory Estoppel, & Chess: Simulated Law Class with Professor Val Ricks

Last week, LEAP students had the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be in a law class led by Professor Val Ricks at South Texas College of Law Houston! From cold calls that made us lean in with anticipation…

…to deep dives into Promissory Estoppel, Professor Ricks left us all with new knowledge and a new way of viewing words.

The mock class started with defining what law is, specifically:

Law: a set of words that, independent of anyone involved in litigation, describes or establishes a standard of conduct which against the actions of those involved in litigation — including the judge — may be measured.

Why do humans form law? Would law exist if humans didn’t? The simple answer is: Law is just a standard of conduct humans use to govern themselves. Even though we write them down, without us here to interpret those words, they would have no value.

Professor Ricks related law to a game of Chess, each piece on the board is affected by a rule, that, in turn, influences the sequence of the game.

Then it was time for the case: G.D. Holdings, INC. v. H.D.H. Land & Timber, L.P., a civil case revolving the transaction of 300,000 dollars in exchange for nine acres of land IF the land were to be surveyed, cleared, and level. Professor Ricks provided us with the facts of the case and turned it over to us, cold calling on students…

…to give the other aspects of their case briefs.

Learning from each other, we began to apply the rule of Promissory Estoppel, re-defining its three requisites.

As a class we came to understand that Promissory Estoppel is when a promise is made and the person making the promise can reasonably predict that the person agreeing to the promise will rely on that promise in a detrimental way.

In the example case, the promise was the purchase of land by G.D. Holdings from H.D.H. once the land got cleared.

We also learned that even though both parties signed a contract, because one party crossed out a clause in the contract before signing, the law considers that to be two different contracts meaning there wasn’t ever a valid contract.

After we dissected the case and the language used in it, we got to practice our application with a few examples and found that Professor Ricks (to no one’s surprise) did an excellent job at teaching us the concepts so we all properly applied the learned rules to other cases.

We also got the chance to ask Professor Ricks about law school admissions, grading, as well as what to expect in similar law school classes. Of course, we had to get our signature selfie to finish the class, but the learning didn’t stop there as even afterwards, all of us were beaming with a new passion for contract law and hopes for what future knowledge lies ahead.

Fun, Games, and Education: Volunteering at the Senior Center

With the first month of the semester almost complete, LEAP is thoroughly ensconced with volunteerism across the community and, especially, at the Walker County Senior Center, where there is much fun to be had.

Nataly Elizondo and Bailey Hopkins at the Senior Center

Our routine is straightforward: introductions, five games of Bingo, and then selecting from myriad games at different tables. But the possibilities are numerous, fun, and intriguing.

We began again with Bingo, this time with Nataly taking the lead as most other volunteers sat at the tables.

Normally a quiet sort, Nataly flashed some smiles, enunciated loudly and clearly, and had great teamwork with her co-host Mikaela Baires. She even received some cheers from the congregants.

Of course, not as many cheers as the winners.

Following the Bingo game, students sat at different tables, interacting with seniors and other volunteers. In some cases, such as Ashton’s, it meant learning new card games from others at the table…

…and eventually she won, making everyone happy!

At other tables, the students taught the seniors new games.

And all the games were new for Mikaela, whose family doesn’t play cards.

While there, we ran into a familiar face: Dottie Fulton! Ms. Fulton is one of our favorite people to plant flags with for the Lions Club Flag Project, and we relish each time we get to see her.

One of the things that LEAP students soon learn with volunteering is that many of the same people show up at diverse venues: people who donate their time and resources do so across a variety of causes, and they are the individuals who make communities better places to live.

And, of course, that is exactly what makes the Senior Center a worthy place to donate time and money.

The Rise of Africa’s Youth: Insights from Ambassador Michelle Gavin

By Allie Plunk

On February 2, LEAP students Zackery Isaacks, Mikaela Baires, Luke Hempfling, and I accompanied Professor Yawn and former Junior Fellow/LEAP Ambassador Ademide Adedokun to the Junior League of Houston to hear Ambassador Michelle Gavin speak about the rapid changes occurring in African politics– and what that might mean for the futures of African youth.

After Jahan Jafarpour, the Director of Programs, offered a brief introduction…

…our favorite moderator, Ronan O’Malley, began the interview, discussing some of the ideas Ambassador Gavin explores in her book, The Age of Change. One of these is the concept of a “demographic dividend,” which means a big boost to national productivity due to the increase of labor force and decrease of dependents, and this is occurring in a large number of Africa’s 54 countries.

While young people are gaining power in numbers and entering the job market, older generations are still running the government. Ambassador Gavin highlighted the example of Paul Biya, the President of Cameroon, who has been president for forty-three years, and he was just re-elected in October for another seven-year term. While some may political stability, others may see the potential for corruption and a stale–rather than dynamic–political culture.

Such regimes, according to Gavin, may not last much longer, as the African youth are becoming increasingly urbanized and have more resources to be connected. Under such circumstances, political organization becomes possible and real change can occur.

There are models of successful democracies in Africa, and if young people use countries such as Botswana as models, it is realistic to think that democracy can spread. Botswana has maintained peace and stability by electing good leaders, preventing corruption, and using their greatest natural resources (diamonds) wisely. In terms of governance, they use “Kgotla meetings,” something akin to “town halls,” which allow citizens to bring questions and concerns to community leaders. This provides for a sense of interconnectedness, promotes accountability, and allows for clear and frequent communication.

Following the talk, Maria Guarache swept us up to see Ambassador Gavin, and we were able to get photographs and our books signed, capping off a wonderful program.

And, to further enhance the evening, we joined Ms. Adedokun at ChopnBlok for some African food. Many of us had never tried African food before, so it was a nice way to add even more educational aspects to the field trip, while also learning more about Ms. Adedokun and her career, her perception of African politics, and a little bit of LEAP history, all wrapped into a top-notch meal by a James Beard Award-winning chef.

Highlights from the Senior Center

Just before classes began, LEAP students took advantage of their last moments of free time to volunteer at the Walker County Senior Center and to learn more about the Meals on Wheels Program, while also contributing to their ongoing work on the Empty Bowls program.

Stacey Loll, the Director of the Walker County Senior Center, introduced the students–Mikaela Baires, Jacob Wessels, Katie Wilson, Brittlyn Jackson, Nataly Elizondo, and Crystal Hearren–and Professor Yawn, and shortly after, they began enjoying various games.

The games soon gave way, however, to the bowl-glazing, when Angela Robinson of the Wynne Home dropped off dozens of bowls to be glazed.

As noted elsewhere on our blogs, the bowl-work is part of the Wynne Home Arts & Visitors Center’s “Empty Bowls” program, which encourages the arts while also feeding the hungry. It’s a multi-stage process, with City staff and volunteers getting grants to pay for supplies, for artists to lead classes on ceramics, and then a glazing and painting process.

These bowls can then be purchased–along with lunch–on March 4 at the Wynne Home, with the funds going, appropriately enough, to Meals on Wheels!

This type of work exemplifies intergenerational bonding or, in social capital terms, “bridging capital.” Basically, it brings people of different backgrounds and ages together for a common purpose. And while bowls, bingo, and other games were part of the fun, the common purpose was simply to enjoy the day and each other’s company.

Whatever the importance of bowls, we learned that nothing gets in the way of Bingo, so promptly at 10:15am, we set aside our bowls for the moment, and with Katie and Mikaela volunteering to serve as Bingo callers, got down to some serious business.

We soon found out how serious: several of the participants offered helpful suggestions on how better to fill the role of Bingo Caller. The suggestions helped, and Katie and Mikaela soon proved to be expert callers.

While Katie and Mikaela toiled away, the other LEAP students got to sit back, enjoy the games, and make new friends.

No matter their role, however, it was fun for all the volunteers, and we hope, for the regulars as well.

Following the games, we engaged in various activities: finishing bowls, playing more games, doing interviews for Postcards Magazine, and having lunch.

But our day wasn’t over, because we were also there to learn more about the Senior Center. We got a tour of the building, where we saw the impeccable cleanliness of the kitchen (they get one of the highest health-inspection ratings in the city), the offices, and their conference room.

Beyond the daily games and fun, the Senior Center utilizes volunteers to drive meals to more than 200 people who face food insecurity. The volunteer drivers follow the same route each “shift,” which allows them to provide not only a familiar and friendly face to individuals who may be lonely, but it also gives them the opportunity to notice apparent changes in health. “Our drivers,” notes Loll, “may be the only person our seniors see over a period of days or even weeks, and it’s important they have that interaction.”

The interaction and the education was also important to us. We learned a lot about the mission and operations of the Senior Center, the community groups and volunteers that support it, and the Center’s current needs–all while making new friends and having fun.

The Senior Center can always use volunteers or donations. To learn more, contact Stacey Loll at staceyloll@mowwctx.org or call (936) 295-6151. To donate, go to this site, where you can support a worthy cause!

Glazing-A-Trail with Lauren Clay

The spring session hasn’t yet begun, but LEAP students are learning–thanks to the dedication of Professor Lauren Clay.

Following a December session of bowl-making–all in preparation of Empty Bowls–LEAP students gathered again to “Glaze a Bowl.”

Under the tutelage of Professor Clay, our advanced students did excellent work and our slow students (Yawn) made acceptable work.

Over the course of a couple of hours, we learned how to anticipate the “look” of a color on a ceramic bowl, the number of layers to add, and where to paint and where not to paint.

In addition to learning how art works, we also enjoyed the benefits of building social capital. While many of us are SHSU students, we also had professor, and we also had friends–Roxana Alvarado Martinez and her daughter, Gabriella, we met during our citizenship preparatory course, and we have stayed in touch! It is bridging social capital at its best.

Following the glazing, the bowls will go into a kiln (again) and they will be available to their creators on March 4, when the “Empty Bowls Fundraiser” takes place at the Wynne Home Arts and Visitors Center. Between 11am-2pm, the Wynne Home will be offering lunch and a hand-made bowl, available to all comers for a suggested $15.00 donation. Additional bows of the highest quality (not Yawn’s) will be available through silent auction. And what’s best, all of the funds will go to the Senior Center’s “Meals on Wheels.”

We hope everyone will join us in the fun and promote a good cause this March 4!

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