TRHLP Students Explore NYC and Theodore Roosevelt’s Legacy

Seventeen students in the Theodore Roosevelt Leadership Program (TRHLP) spent three days in March exploring New York City (NYC) and learning about Theodore Roosevelt. The students were accompanied by program director Michelle Orton, staff from the Theodore Roosevelt Center (TRC) and the DSU Heritage Foundation (DSU HF), and guided by TRC Co-Director Dr. Michael Cullinane. “It was an unforgettable week with an incredible group of students. I am grateful for the memories made, the connections we built, and the experiences that pushed us all to grow,” said Michelle Orton, TRHLP Director and Assistant Professor of Leadership.

The group explored Roosevelt’s birthplace, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Ellis Island, Central Park, the Tenement Museum, the Museum of Natural History, and the 9/11 Museum and Memorial. “Having Dr. Cullinane as our tour guide ensured we hit the most important parts of every stop. Every day I looked forward to our schedule, and as an elementary education major the trip made me realize how different it is to learn in a classroom versus experiencing the actual environment,” remarked TRHLP student Heather Cabral. Students also explored NYC independently, breaking off into smaller groups to cross off bucket-list items like attending a Broadway show and walking through Times Square at night.

The trip provided ample opportunity for students to deepen friendship with their fellow TRHLP members and make new connections in the city. TRHLP student Emma Welch returned to an Italian restaurant after leaving her sunglasses and ended up sharing stories about the TR Library and North Dakota to the restaurant owner. Several of the students who participated in the trip noted that the experience was not something they would have accomplished independently and expressed their gratitude to the DSU HF donors and DSU connections that made the trip so fulfilling. TRHLP student Madison Beckler’s biggest takeaway from the trip was that “the world is so much bigger than we can truly grasp, and it is eye opening realizing how many people it takes to make the world go ‘round.”

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Written by Sarah Griffis – DSU HF Content Writer