The 2025 cohort of the Rockefeller Leadership Fellows Program, the Rockefeller Center’s capstone leadership program, spent a week in Washington, D.C., over winterim, engaging with Dartmouth alumni and policy leaders in the federal government.
“The winterim trip to Washington provides a short but impactful immersion experience for the Rockefeller Leadership Fellows,” says Bob Coates, assistant director of the Rockefeller Center. “They network with Dartmouth alumni policy experts, and leaders, coming away with a real-world view of how Washington works.”
Throughout the week, eighteen fellows met with policy experts, as part of a public policy project exercise which culminates in presentations at the end of the winter term. This year’s policy topics include environmental policy, artificial intelligence, and immigration reform. In addition to research and interviews, students heard from presenters Alyssa LeBarron ’24, IP Protection & Security Analyst for the Entertainment Software Association, and Mike Heslin ’08, co-founder of 1st90, about post-graduate careers and life in Washington. The cohort also heard from former CBS Chief White House correspondent Chip Reid, who spoke about career ethics and values and discussed his recent book on Iraq War veterans, Battle Scars.
Students explored Capitol Hill with Senate and House Gallery passes provided by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and visited with U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill '16 (R-TX) in his House offices.
“The Rockefeller Leadership Fellows DC trip was a formative experience that brought depth and dimension to our discussions throughout the term,” said Aarnav Verma ‘27. “It gave me the ability to speak with impactful leaders in my policy research area and see DC for the first time. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is interested in understanding how policy underpins nearly every industry.”