C of O Students Make Annual Trip to Washington, D.C.

Students from College of the Ozarks take a trip to the Nation's Capital.

The full release below from C of O:

College of the Ozarks continued the groundbreaking CitizenTrip® that began in 2019 as part of their Patriotic Education Program. Once again, College of the Ozarks sent 140 students on a two-day, one-night intensive trip to Washington D.C., at no cost to the students, Sept. 8-9.   

Col. John Clark, Vietnam Veteran and P.O.W., spent time with the students at the Vietnam Memorial. He has traveled with the College through the Patriotic Education Travel Program and has shared his experiences with students over time. He challenged them during the trip to learn more and was an inspiration to all because of his ability to embrace life, adversity, and obstacles with hope.

“I loved the personal aspect of seeing patriotism that had been lived and produced fulfillment rather than regret or bitterness,” said senior Esther Beggs. “Col. John Clark faced much hardship for his country, but he was proud of this. This trip, I was amazed at how many people, like Col. John Clark, were willing to give years of their life in defense of our country. I was convicted of my own selfishness and inspired to be more sacrificial for the sake of my country.”

Senior Anna Scott, C of O public relations major, reflected on the impactful story he presented.

“Getting to sit by the Vietnam Memorial and hear Col. John Clark reminisce on his time as a prisoner of war in the Hanoi Hilton was inspiring and also incredibly sobering,” Scott said. “For over six years, Col. Clark was tortured and kept from his family, and I know when he signed up to fight that he never expected this traumatic experience to occur. Col. Clark was eventually able to return to the United States, but 58,000 people whose names are etched in the Vietnam Memorial Wall gave the ultimate sacrifice and never got to touch our soil again. I hope to carry out their legacy and never forget the precious freedom they gave their lives for, and that Col. Clark so valiantly fought for.”

This year’s CitizenTrip® included stops at Arlington National Cemetery, the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Museum of the Bible, the White House, the United States Capitol, the National Archives Museum, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Smithsonian Museum of American History, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Students also visited the National Mall, which includes the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington Monument, and World War II Memorial. 

“Other schools may post a mission statement in a plaque in a back office or have a motto on their website, but I have seen College of the Ozarks live its core values,” Beggs said. “One of these values is patriotism. The College could do much less and still be considered patriotic. But sending each student on a trip to personally experience American history, culture, inspiration, is just like C of O: willing to go the extra mile to prove to its students that patriotism is not just something to talk about but to experience and participate in and integrate into everyday life.”

Senior Karsten Armstrong, C of O double major in history and video production, found the Museum of the Bible to be one of the most impactful experiences of the trip.

“As a history major, it is always a challenge trying to get people to understand and be interested in abstract concepts (like history), and one of the best ways is to tie it to something concrete,” Karsten said. “This trip did very well with that in a lot of ways, tying American history to the different sites in DC. But it was especially noticeable in the Museum of the Bible. As I explored it and talked about it with others, it was very apparent that it really helped us connect to the biblical story in a new way.”

More about CitizenTrip® and The William S. Knight Center for Patriotic Education

The patriotic goal of College of the Ozarks is to encourage an understanding of American heritage, civic responsibility, love of country, and willingness to defend it. The CitizenTrip® is an integral part of fulfilling the patriotic goal. The CitizenTrip® is a capstone opportunity for students who have demonstrated an understanding of the patriotic goal through the patriotic education courses.

The trip was hosted by The William S. Knight Center for Patriotic Education at College of the Ozarks.