Connecting Points with Senator Richard G. Lugar

Every once in a while, you have the opportunity to connect two points in your life. Mine began when I was a junior in high school and was selected as a participant for the Symposium for Tomorrow’s Leaders program. Founded in 1977 by Senator Richard G. Lugar, the symposium is designed to “increase the awareness of current national and international issues among Indiana’s future leaders.” Participants have the chance to hear from Senator Lugar and participate in student sessions featuring speakers debating critical current events.

The student sessions for the 1991 Symposium included: civil rights in South Africa, First Amendment controversies, the Constitution in conflict: drug testing and the Fourth Amendment, American’s military role in foreign affairs, education in America, abortion and the gag rule, a changing Soviet Union, tipping the Supreme Court scale-conservatives in court, the global marketplace and environmentalism in the 90’s. At the time, I was planning on becoming a high school History teacher, so to participate in the event was a great honor and exposed me to a world of social issues, legislation and world politics. Little did I know how much that day would impact my thinking and views of the world.

From there, fast forward to March 2011, where I am a participant of the Alliance for International Educational & Cultural Exchange Advocacy Day. This time, you’ll find me in Senator Lugar’s office, having a group discussion with one of his staffers about the current budget crisis and its significant impact on international exchange programs. Not only is this topic near and dear to my heart because I am a Program Officer on the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program which brings emerging leaders in key professional fields from Eurasia to the United States for one to two years of graduate study but because I was an exchange participant myself, as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Azerbaijan. Without these exchange programs, my life-the lives of those I love both here and abroad-would not be the same.

And so, standing for a photo with Senator Lugar in 2011, I suddenly see a connection point, moving a small town girl towards a new world, which then opened many doors-both professionally and personally-to become a woman passionate about national and international issues.

Karen Wrightsman is a Program Officer at IREX