Mentor, Umi named to prestigious College Student Congress

Political science major Tim Mentor ’20 and administration of justice major Amadi Umi ’20 were recently named to the Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship’s College Student Congress. Each year, only 51 rising college seniors nationwide earn this distinction.

For two weeks this May, members of the College Student Congress will gather with lawmakers, academics, politicians, journalists and business leaders to learn about the dynamics of public policy and public policy decision making. Students will participate in an intensive curriculum and project designed to address different dimensions of policy challenges that are currently facing the nation.

The program is hosted on the campuses of the University of Kentucky in Lexington and Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia.

Both Mentor and Umi learned about the program from Dr. Barbara LoMonaco, vice president for student affairs, as well as previous participants. “What ultimately led me to pursue this opportunity were the chances that I would get to collaborate – not only with students from all over the country, but with clerks, journalists and senators,” Umi said. “I live in the D.C. metro area, so the chance to experience the inner workings of policy change and what it takes to pass laws that benefit my area is so valuable to me.”

Mentor hopes to gain experience working in policy along with skills in group work, leadership and public speaking. “I also want to learn about other states and how they attack the same universal problems we all face,” he said. “These things, along with the opportunity to network and connect with people to expand my professional community, is something I look forward to.”

Eyeing a career in conflict resolution, Mentor feels that the program’s focus on policy reform is key. “Lasting change – especially in developed nations – means policy reform, and in developing nations it means drafting policies that will stand the test of time,” he said. “I think the Henry Clay fellowship will be instrumental in helping to show me what it means to work in this field.”

Umi plans to attend law school and pursue a career in intellectual property law. “One of my dream jobs would be a trademark attorney in the U.S. Copyright and Trademark Office,” she said. “The experiences and connections that I come away with from the College Student Congress will certainly benefit that ambition.”