PTC Honors College Students Enjoy Memorable DC Trip

This spring, a group of eight Piedmont Technical College (PTC) Honors Program students visited the nation’s seat of government to view monuments, visit historic sites and museums, and tour four-year universities that are potential transfer destinations for them.

The Honors Program at PTC was reactivated last year and inducted 12 students. Those participating in the trip included: Emily Galloway (Horticulture), Fernando Reyes (Pharmacy Technician), Caleb Riddle (Associate in Science), Audrey Shepherd (Associate in Arts), Sarah Shore (Associate in Science), CharvisStevens (Associate in Science), Daisy Villalobos (Associate in Arts), and Chantel Robinson (Dual Enrollment, Middle College). They were accompanied by three chaperones: PTC Transfer Coordinator Tiffany Prowell, PTC Arts and Sciences Dean Joshua Lindsay, and PTC Art Department Head and Instructor Leandra Arvazzetti.

Prowell said the four-day, whirlwind visit to Washington, DC, was packed with tours and activities.

“Art appreciation was the focus on our first day in DC. We visited the National Gallery, the HirshornMuseum and Sculpture Garden, and the National Museum of African Art,” Prowell said. “On Day 2, we visited history and government sites, including the White House, Ford’s Theater, the U.S. Capitol, the National Museum of African American History & Culture, and the National Mall. The third day was reserved for tours of university transfer sites in the area, including the University of Maryland, Howard University, and the University of the District of Columbia. On Day 4, the students visited the National Zoo and the International Spy Museum before heading home.”

The students all shared positive reviews of their experiences.

“The architecture alone in the Capitol building was breathtaking,” said Sarah Shore of Batesburg. “From the details on the ceiling of the dome to the paintings showing huge turning points in our nation’s history, it was truly something I will never forget.”

“The National Gallery was, by far, my favorite museum,” said Audrey Shepherd of Greenwood. “There was one installation in particular that severely touched me. An artist named Dorothea Lange took many photos of different people and cultures throughout the Great Depression into World War II.”

Some found that various memorials put into greater perspective the memories shared by loved ones who served their country.

“I stood and watched the fountains (of the WWII Memorial) while I reminisced on stories my grandfather told about his days in the Pacific fighting the Japanese,” said Emily Galloway of Laurens. “He passed away in 2013, so this moment was incredibly special.”

Others said they made memories to last a lifetime.

“The opportunity to experience DC with other students in the Honors Program has created friendships and bonds that will continue for years to come,” said Greenwood resident Charvis Stevens. “The memories of the sites we were able to see, the food we ate, and the time spent together at different institutions of higher learning will be cherished memories.”

Learn more about The Honors Program at PTC by visiting www.ptc.edu/honors.