Five Arkansas Tech University undergraduate students earned the opportunity to travel to both coasts of the United States as part of the 2019 On Track program trip to Washington, D.C., and Seattle, Wash.
Christopher Caveney of Blytheville, Carly Copeland of Clarksville, Jamison Hale of Russellville, Mallory Heft of Charleston and Jayson Simmons of Jacksonville departed on Wednesday, May 15, and visited the nation’s capital through Saturday, May 18.
They were accompanied by Thomas Strahan from the ATU Department of Campus Life staff and Dylan Tedder, graduate assistant in the ATU Department of Campus Life.
While in Washington, the ATU group toured the U.S. Capitol and other national monuments, performed a community service project and visited such local cultural destinations as the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, National Museum of American History, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Newseum, Arlington National Cemetery and George Washington University.
Leg two of the trip provided the ATU On Track participants with opportunities to visit Pike Place Fish Market, the Space Needle, the Museum of Flight, Discovery Park Beach, the Seattle Great Wheel, Olympic Sculpture Park and the University of Washington.
They attended a Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball game and the Seattle Opera. In addition, the ATU students met with professionals in various fields and participated in a community service activity.
The 2019 ATU On Track trip participants earned these opportunities by completing the On Track program and being selected for the journey through an application and interview process.
On Track is defined by the Office of Campus Life as “an undergraduate co-curricular experience designed to enhance student development beyond the classroom setting, encourage students to network socially among peers and to include students in traditional and signature university events.”
Tracks in the program are Active Mind and Body, Advance to Career, Aspiring Leader, Elevated Citizen, Global Focus, Leader Identified and Unite.
Undergraduate students who choose to complete all seven tracks become eligible to apply for an expenses paid trip following the completion of the last track.
In order to be considered for selection for the annual On Track trip, an undergraduate student must also have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5, complete an application and interview process, be chosen by the selection committee and sign a contract confirming their attendance and appropriate behavior for the trip.
According to the On Track web presence, students selected to travel are “exposed to leadership practices, cultural heritage, community service, professional networking and other college and university campuses that are part of the destinations they visit.”
