SCSU Students Bring Civic Leadership Lessons to Washington DC
St. Cloud State University students traveled to Washington DC to explore leadership and civic responsibility. Here's what the visit means for the next generation.
In brief
Students from St. Cloud State University traveled to Washington DC to study leadership and civic responsibility firsthand. The nation's capital — home to Congress, federal agencies, and a dense network of civic organizations — offers students a direct, immersive lens into how American democracy operates beyond the lecture hall.
Key Takeaways
St. Cloud State University (SCSU) students visited Washington DC to explore leadership and civic responsibility.
Washington DC remains one of the most sought-after destinations for civic education programs nationwide.
The visit reflects a broader national trend of universities using DC as a living laboratory for public affairs curricula.
Washington DC as a Civic Classroom
Few cities on earth compress as much democratic infrastructure into a single geography as Washington DC. From Capitol Hill to the corridors of the Smithsonian Institution, the city functions as a living, breathing syllabus for students of government, leadership, and public life. For SCSU students making the trip from St. Cloud, Minnesota, the experience represents something textbooks simply cannot replicate.
According to St. Cloud State TODAY, the university's official news platform, students engaged with themes of leadership and civic responsibility during their Washington DC visit. The program speaks to a wider commitment among higher education institutions to connect classroom theory with real-world civic engagement.
Washington DC draws students, scholars, and emerging leaders from across the country each year precisely because proximity to power clarifies what power actually looks like in practice. Whether that means walking the National Mall, sitting in on public hearings on Capitol Hill, or meeting with professionals embedded in the federal ecosystem, the city offers an education that is difficult to manufacture anywhere else. Explore more about the dynamics shaping DC's civic culture in WDCM's DC Politics Guide.
Why Civic Education Trips to DC Still Matter
The tradition of universities sending students to Washington DC for civic education runs deep in American academic culture. Institutions from flagship state universities to historically Black colleges and universities have long recognized that DC is not just a destination — it is a curriculum. NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education has documented the outsized role experiential learning plays in developing civic identity among college students.
For a school like SCSU, located in central Minnesota, a trip to Washington DC bridges geographic and cultural distance between students and the federal government that shapes their lives. Civic responsibility is not an abstraction on the steps of the U.S. Capitol or in a meeting room a block from the White House — it becomes tangible, urgent, and personal.
The Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy at Notre Dame has noted that experiential civic programs produce measurably stronger civic engagement outcomes than traditional coursework alone. SCSU's investment in this kind of field-based learning positions its students to enter public and professional life with a more grounded understanding of how American institutions function — and where they fall short.
Washington DC absorbs thousands of student visitors each year, and that steady influx of young people engaging with the city's civic infrastructure is not incidental — it is essential. The District's identity is inseparable from its role as a place where the next generation of leaders comes to be shaped. Every cohort of students that walks through the doors of a Senate office building or attends a policy briefing near Dupont Circle adds to a long tradition of civic formation that DC uniquely enables.
For DC residents and institutions, programs like SCSU's serve as a reminder that the city's influence radiates far beyond the Beltway. Students return to Minnesota — and to every other state — carrying the experience of having seen democracy up close. That ripple effect matters enormously for a city that often debates its own voice while simultaneously shaping everyone else's. Learn more about the people and institutions driving that influence in WDCM's DC Power Players Index.
Civic education programs also feed DC's broader ecosystem. Students who visit often return — as interns, staffers, advocates, and eventually, decision-makers. The Congressional Record is full of legislators who trace their public service journey back to a formative trip to the capital during their college years.
The Bottom Line
St. Cloud State University students traveled to Washington DC to explore leadership and civic responsibility in one of the few places where those concepts are on full display every single day. The visit reflects a durable and important tradition in American higher education — bringing students face-to-face with the institutions they will one day be called upon to lead, reform, or hold accountable. Washington DC, as always, was ready to teach.
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FAQ: SCSU Students in Washington DC
Why did SCSU students travel to Washington DC? According to St. Cloud State TODAY, SCSU students visited Washington DC to explore leadership and civic responsibility as part of an educational program.
What makes Washington DC an important destination for civic education? Washington DC houses Congress, federal agencies, major nonprofits, and civic organizations that give students direct exposure to how American democratic institutions operate in practice.
Is experiential civic education effective? Research from institutions like the Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy suggests that experiential civic programs produce stronger civic engagement outcomes than traditional coursework alone.
What is St. Cloud State University? St. Cloud State University (SCSU) is a public university located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and part of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities.
How does Washington DC benefit from student civic education visits? Student visits reinforce DC's role as a national civic hub and often create long-term connections — many students return to the capital as interns, staffers, or public servants later in their careers.
What to Watch Next: As universities across the country continue to prioritize experiential learning, watch for more higher education institutions building structured Washington DC immersion programs into their leadership and public affairs curricula. For SCSU students, what begins as a visit to the capital may well be the first chapter of a longer civic story.
Reporting drawn from: St. Cloud State TODAY. Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
