Personal

Thank you for enrolling in this course. It's a real pleasure for me to be able to introduce you to some of the key concepts in government, but also to get to you know you as individuals. As as young person, my first college experience was as a student at Hawkeye Community College. As a student, doors were opened to me by caring faculty, and I will never forget that.

I have been interested in politics and policy since I was a very young person, as a member of the national AmeriCorps. While in High School, there were many new developments happening in the country, and the most prominent for me, was the chance to take part in a unique method of national service. As an eighteen year old, I joined the National Civilian Community Corps. It was as a part of this agency, that my new friends and I saw the country, and performed needed work - we spent time working to make national parks more accessible to people with disabilities, we tutored small kids, we helped make neighborhoods more safe and secure - taking care of unmet human needs. We worked because Congress and the President decided to tackle the problems of the country head-on.

Coming home, I wanted to know how the policies we followed were developed. I took work - working nights at a bakery - and spent the days reading political biographies, and made plans to attend college, starting at Hawkeye, with plans to work for a political science degree at the University of Northern Iowa.

At the age of 22, I was offered a chance to work in best place for a political science student - the White House. My position as an intern was unpaid, and I hated to think that I would have to turn down such a chance for lack of finances. How fortunate I was. A member of Hawkeye's faculty had heard about this great opportunity, and Hawkeye sponsored my six months in Washington. The generosity of spirit was something I will never forget.

Over the last number of years, I have worked in government, education, and politics, and it is my hope to be able to offer you, as students, an introduction to the same generosity and interest offered to me. Your level of involvement is up to you - I am pleased, and honored to be here with you as you decide what that will be.

Pete