Sarah Blugis, a senior majoring in political communication, is The Hatchet’s opinions editor.
In case you missed it, here’s the best and worst news from around campus and the District this week.
Thumbs up:
This week, students in the School of Media and Public Affairs picked up some bragging rights. Alumna Dana Bash was named CNN’s chief political correspondent on Monday, after working as the network’s Congressional correspondent for nine years.
It’s always great to see GW alumni doing well out in the world, because it reminds us that we can do it, too.
Of course, we can’t all expect to rise to the levels of fame that some alumni – like Kerry Washington, Colin Powell or Bash – have reached. But in the daily whirlwind of college life packed with classes, activities and clubs, it’s nice to be reminded that those who have made names for themselves were once in our shoes.
Hopefully, Bash will soon return to campus to impart some wisdom and pose for a few selfies with current students. But in the meantime, her success can serve as a reminder to SMPA students that eventually, paying attention during “Introduction to Political Communication” will pay off.
Thumbs down:
For some students in D.C., access to a better school is just out of reach.
A federal program allows students assigned to failing schools the right to transfer to better-performing schools. But this week, the parents of some students taking advantage of this program found out their children don’t have access to the buses that would take them to their new schools.
The District cited cost as the main reason for cutting off bus services. Instead, children are being encouraged to use public transportation. But in some cases, students’ schools are just too far away for them to travel alone safely, which will likely leave some of them stuck in failing schools nearby.
It’s disheartening that students have the chance to receive a better education, but are hindered by the city’s budget cuts.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem like a problem that GW or its students could do much to change. But students aren’t powerless when it comes to helping the D.C. public school system. There are plenty of opportunities through community service, or programs like Jumpstart, which organizes students to serve at preschools in low-income neighborhoods.
We can hope that the District will change its mind, and reinstate transportation for students. But for now, all we can do is our part to help the school system – even if it’s just by getting out of bed to participate in the Freshman Day of Service.
