Demmer Scholars: From Watergate to Squirrelgate
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Blogger: Brooke Merrill, one of 23 MSU students in the Demmer Scholar Washington, DC, program,
a senior-level class in natural resources policy that meets one night a week and all day Saturday while working full-time as paid interns at federal agencies or non-governmental organizations that focus on natural resources.
We’ve had eventful times! Along with working all week I’ve had three field trips! We’ve talked with Doug McKalip, the President’s senior rural policy advisor. Being from a rural farming community, it was interesting hearing about the programs and aid available.
On our second field trip we were invited to the home of a Watergate historian, and we had a discussion about Watergate, and Thomas Mallon was there to discuss his recent novel about Watergate. We even had a tour, and I got to see the door the burglars taped to keep it unlocked. That ended up being their undoing, when the security guard went past twice and discovered the tape both times. You would imagine they would have thought about that, most places do have night security!
Saturday we went to Raystown Reservoir and had a tour! It was so nice being outside and getting to walk around in the sun! I saw a whole lot of carp there; they were surrounding this dock waiting for people to feed them! There were so many, when they would swim on top of each other they would pop above the surface! It was a little creepy. I fed them some of my ice cream cone though, they looked pretty hungry.
My work week has been about the same, except I have a new project! I get to write a paper on Clean Water Act issues, plus I get to go to a few hearing this week! Things are getting busier!
Of all the excitement this weekend, one event has been the craziest. I got scratched by a squirrel. I was at a park and all these animals kept following me, they must have thought I had food for them. So I tried to pet this squirrel’s tail, but it turned around really fast, and it scratched my leg. Not the smartest idea I’ve ever had, but it was worth a try. Animals here are a tiny bit angrier than they are in East Lansing. Lesson learned.
This picture is of the little squirrel with a very big attitude. Above is my imitation of the guy in front of the U.S. Treasury!
