For more than 40 years, FMC’s flagship program, Congress to Campus, has provided college students with a unique civic education by engaging them in honest dialogue with bipartisan teams of Former Members of Congress, Congressional staff, and American diplomats. Whether sessions take place in-person on campus, or in a virtual format, these dialogues bring today’s issues to the forefront and showcase the benefits of healthy partisanship and civility within disagreement.
Congress to Campus dialogues also provide students with unparalleled insight into careers in public service, including how to run for political office, managing work/life balance on Capitol Hill and the thrill of debating legislation on the House or Senate floor. Program participants consistently say these sessions gave them a newfound appreciation for the dignity and excitement of public service.
Congress to Campus reaches thousands of college students each academic year.
To date, Congress to Campus sessions have been held on 165 campuses in 43 states and 5 countries.
On a typical two-day campus visit, teams meet with anywhere from 150 to 800 students in both classroom and extracurricular settings.
In 2022, Congress to Campus went virtual, holding 54 sessions on 44 campuses.
More than 1,300 students attended live virtual sessions.
Virtual programs were recorded so they could be replayed in classes, student group meetings and posted on campus websites.
In the past 10 years alone, Congress to Campus has reached 57,000 students!
Learn More About Congress to Campus
CO-CHAIRS
Congress to Campus is run by FMC staff in partnership
with the Stennis Center for Public Service and the Park Foundation.
The Hon. Donna Edwards (D-MD, 2008-2017)
The Hon. Tim Petri (R-WI, 1979-2015)
Bring Congress to Campus to Your School
Requirements for a Congress to Campus visit:
1) A Host
Each on-campus or virtual visit needs a campus host organization. Hosts can be departments, offices, student organizations (or a combination of these). The host organization must provide a staff or faculty liaison able to work with FMC staff on visit content and logistics.
2) An Idea
Before contacting FMC, talk with your host(s) about ideas for topics and format for the visit. Do you want a team onsite or would a virtual program work better? Our experienced staff can help you brainstorm, but the more ideas you have the better we can help you!
3) A Timeframe
How long will it take you and your team to plan a well-rounded program for your campus community? We typically need at least three weeks to coordinate planning an on-campus visit. Typically, virtual programs can be planned within about two weeks minimum. Our team is available during the academic year as well as summer session.
4) A Budget
The typical cost for hosting an in person two-day campus visit is a $3,000 donation to FMC plus the costs of the Former Members’ meals, lodging, and transportation. There may also be sponsors interested in supporting a program at your school, so if budget is a problem please contact FMC staff to discuss your options.
For more information about Congress to Campus, please email Patricia Ochs, Congress to Campus Program Manager, at POchs@usafmc.org.
Congress to Campus Testimonials
Participating Schools
Alaska:
Center For Native American Youth
Arizona:
Arizona State University
Mesa Community College
Northern Arizona University
Arkansas:
Arkansas State University
California:
California Community College
California State University - Fullerton
California State University – Channel Islands
Claremont McKenna College
Coast College District
Napa Valley College
Pepperdine School of Law
San Jose State University
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles
Colorado:
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Connecticut:
Sacred Heart University
United States Coast Guard Academy
Wesleyan University
District of Columbia:
American University
Catholic University of America
Florida:
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Florida International University
Florida State University
Nova Southeastern University
Palm Beach State College
University of Central Florida
University of North Florida
University of South Florida
Georgia:
Dalton State College
Emory University
Georgia College and State University
Kennesaw State University
Mercer University
Middle Georgia College
Reinhardt University
University of Georgia
Idaho:
Boise State University
University of Idaho
Illinois:
Bradley University
Dominican University
Lake Forest College
Millikin University
Principia College
Rockford University
Waubonsee Community College
Indiana:
Ball State University
Indiana State University
Indiana University, East
Indiana University, Kokomo
Indiana University, South Bend
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Manchester University
Iowa:
Drake University
University of Northern Iowa
Kansas:
Baker University
Kansas University
Washburn University
Kentucky:
Murray State University
Western Kentucky University
Louisiana:
Dillard University
Nicholls State University
Xavier University of Louisiana
Maine:
Colby College
University of Maine
Maryland:
Bowie State University
Frostburg State University
Goucher College
Johns Hopkins University
Mount St. Mary's University
United States Naval Academy
University of Baltimore
University of Maryland
Massachusetts:
Amherst College
Boston University
Bridgewater State University
Fitchburg State University
Suffolk University – Boston
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
Wellesley College
Michigan:
Central Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Michigan State University
Oakland University
Saginaw Valley State University
Minnesota:
Concordia College
Inver Hills Community College
Macalester College
Mississippi:
Alcorn State University
Meridian Community College
Millsaps College
Tougaloo College
Missouri:
Columbia College
Cottey College
Missouri Western State University
Northwest Missouri State University
Park University
Washington University in St. Louis
New Hampshire:
Dartmouth College
New Jersey:
Brookdale Community College
Saint Peter's College
New Mexico:
New Mexico State University
New York:
Colgate University
Hartwick College
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Rochester Institute of Technology
Siena College
Skidmore College
St. Bonaventure University
St. John Fisher College
State University of New York
Syracuse University
Union College
University of Albany
North Carolina:
AB Tech Community College
Brevard Community College
Cape-Fear Community College
East Carolina University
Elon University
High Point University
Sandhills Community College
University of North Carolina, Wilmington
Winston-Salem State University
Western Carolina University
North Dakota:
Bismarck State College
University of North Dakota
Ohio:
Denison University
Kent State University
Ohio State University
University of Akron
Xavier University
Oklahoma:
Cameron University
College of the Muscogee Nation
Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Oregon:
Oregon State University
Western Oregon University
Willamette University
Pennsylvania:
Allegheny College
Carnegie Mellon University
Dickinson College
Edinboro University
Elizabethtown College
Gannon University
Millersville University
Muhlenberg College
Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University-Erie
Ursinus College
Valley Forge Military Academy and College
Widener University
Wilkes University
Rhode Island:
Rhode Island College
Roger Williams University
South Carolina:
Claflin University
University of South Carolina
Winthrop University
South Dakota:
Dakota Wesleyan University
University of South Dakota
Tennessee:
Cumberland University
Middle Tennessee State University
Rhodes College
University of the South (Sewanee)
Vanderbilt University
Texas:
Abilene Christian University
Howard Payne University
University of Texas at Austin
Utah:
University of Utah
Weber State University
Vermont:
Norwich University
Virginia:
George Mason University
James Madison University
Sweet Briar College
University of Virginia
University of William and Mary
Virginia Military Institute
Washington:
Washington State University
West Virginia:
Bluefield State University
Marshall University
West Virginia University
Wyoming:
University of Wyoming
International:
Argentina
Canada
Germany
Ireland
Japan
Korea
United Kingdom
For more information about Congress to Campus, please email Patricia Ochs, Congress to Campus Program Manager, at POchs@usafmc.org.