On July 10, 2008 a group of about 30 DC Scholar Alumni, current Scholars and friends visited the embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our evening began with a video discussing the history of the Kingdom, its role in the world and current relations with the United States. After the video, embassy staff answered a range of questions - from the role of women in Saudi society to the price of oil to the Kingdom’s relations with Iran. We then enjoyed a Saudi fashion show featuring some members of our group as impromptu models (see photos below). We concluded our evening with a selection of American and traditional Saudi foods such as hummus, spinach and meat fatayeh, carrot cake, and bitleweh. For many of the participants, this was an excellent opportunity to learn more about one of the largest countries in the world with a rich history and strong diplomatic relations with the United States. The DC Alumni group plan to visit another embassy soon and would appreciate any suggestions.
(http://www.saudiembassy.net/) at 601 New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, DC. Our visit will include a presentation from embassy staff on the politics and culture of Saudi Arabia, Q&A with Embassy staff and traditional refreshments. This is a great opportunity to learn more about US-Saudi relations. The tour will begin at 6:30PM on July 10th. Please meet at the 25th street entrance. Parking at the embassy is not available. The tour is open to Scholars and friends, but we do have a limited number of slots, so please RSVP for the tour by emailing Tom at TBonsaint AT yahoo.com.
RSVP / Questions: If you have any questions or would like to RSVP please email AJ Gorman at: andrew.j.gorman@gmail.com (’06 Political Science) or Bill Yukstas wyukstas@gmail.com (’06 International Politics). We hope to see you on August 17th! Please join our Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6646451172
A group of twelve SHC Alumni and friends returned to Martha’s Table for our eigth volunteering session. Attached below is a photo of the group from June 7th. We plan to return again August 16th at 10am. Please contact Steve Bien-Aime at slbienaime@yahoo.com to volunteer.
The DC Scholar Alumni group will be returning to Martha’s Table again Sat. June 7, 2008. The group will meet at 10AM at 2114 14th St., NW, Washington, DC. Martha’s Table (http://www.marthastable.org) helps at-risk children, youth, families and individuals in Washington, DC, to improve their lives through the provision of educational programs, food, clothing, and enrichment opportunities. This will be our eigth time volunteering there. Participants are requested to register via email with Steven Bien-Aime (slbienaime@yahoo.com). Please watch this blog and our Facebook group (http://psu.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6646451172) for future volunteering opportunities.
The DC Scholar Alumni recently hosted our second book group. This time we read the book “Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets” by Sudhir Venkatesh. The book was great and so was the discussion. We held our second session on a Wednesday at Teaism. We are on the lookout for new books and locations. Please send your suggestions to AJ Gorman at andrew.j.gorman@gmail.com (’06 Political Science) or Bill Yukstas wyukstas@gmail.com (’06 International Politics). Please join 115 other alumni as a member of our Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6646451172
A group of nine SHC Alumni and friends returned to Martha’s Table for our seventh volunteering session. In addition to some of our normal tasks, we took advantage of the great weather and helped wash McKenna’s Wagon, the van the Martha’s Table staff uses to distribute food across DC. Attached below is a photo of the group from April 26th. We plan to return again June 7th at 10am. Please contact Steve Bien-Aime at slbienaime@yahoo.com to volunteer.
A group of SHC alumni recently met for a tour of the 6th and I Synagogue. After a delicious lunch in Chinatown, the group decided to walk to the colossal National Building Museum. The large beautifully crafted building that we toured first served as the US Pension Department during the US Civil War. After an enjoyable visit to the National Building Museum, the group walked over to the historic 6th and I Synagogue, which was first built in 1908. The building had served as a synagogue for fifty years, then as a church for fifty years, and now it is a synagogue again. In addition to serving as a religious center, we learned that the synagogue often hosts speakers and concerts. Two US Supreme Court Justices spoke so far this year at the synagogue. It was a fun and educational day full of fellowship and joy.
The Metro DC Chapter of the Scholar Alumni Group is planning its next book club meeting. Alumni in the DC area, friends, family, and current PSU scholars interning or studying in the metro DC area are all welcome to attend.
When: Wednesday, May 21st, starting at 7:30pm.
Where: Teaism, located in Penn Quarter at 400 8th Street NW.
Book: We will discuss the book Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets by Sudhir Venkatesh.
Synopsis: At our last book club meeting, Venkatesh’s memoir was suggested as our next read. It was an excellent suggestion. The book is a highly informative, yet incredibly personal, account of the life of the residents of Chicago’s Robert Taylor public housing project, the Black Kings gang (one of Chicago’s most notorious and powerful gangs during the explosion of the crack epidemic in the US), and, interestingly, the author, Sudhir, who becomes inextricably tied to the residents of Robert Taylor during his eight years of research. He becomes “friends” with many of the residents and describes his interactions with them and what he learns from them in detail.
RSVP / Questions?
If you have any questions or would like to RSVP please email AJ Gorman at andrew.j.gorman@gmail.com (’06 Political Science) or Bill Yukstas wyukstas@gmail.com (’06 International Politics). We hope to see you on May 21st! Please join our Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6646451172
The DC Scholar Alumni group will be returning to Martha’s Table again Sat. April 26, 2008. The group will meet at 10AM at 2114 14th St., NW, Washington, DC. Martha’s Table (http://www.marthastable.org) helps at-risk children, youth, families and individuals in Washington, DC, to improve their lives through the provision of educational programs, food, clothing, and enrichment opportunities. This will be our seventh time volunteering there. Participants are requested to register via email with Steven Bien-Aime (slbienaime@yahoo.com). Please watch this blog and our Facebook group (http://psu.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6646451172) for future volunteering opportunities.
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