In Spring 2026, Blackburn students visited Washington, DC, on a 5-day Washington, DC Government Experience. Please use the itinerary below as an example of the range of activities that students engage in during this trip.
Tuesday, March 17
4 p.m. − Bowling at the Eisenhower Building with Joe Ballard (Deputy Associate Director, Office of Legislative Affairs, The White House)
8:30 p.m. − Session 1: The White House Tour and Q&A at the West Wing with Joe Ballard (Deputy Associate Director, Office of Legislative Affairs, The White House) and Sims Johnson (Staff Assistant, White House Management Office)
Wednesday, March 18
8 a.m. − Individual Networking Meetings
10 a.m. − Session 2: Biglaw at Jones Day with Wilson Boardman (Associate, Latham & Watkins), John Brinkerhoff (Issues and Appeals Associate, Jones Day), Leigh Terry Brinkerhoff (Associate, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP), and Marlan Golden (Administrative and Regulatory Litigation Associate, Hogan Lovells)
12 p.m. − Lunch at the Capitol Hill Club, 2nd floor with Gina Rigby-House (2nd Vice President, Aflac)
2 p.m. − Session 3: Pathways to Policy at H&R Block with Corey Ealons (Senior Partner, VOX Global), Adam Harbison (Director, Congressional Affairs at AADA), Chandler Shields Helton (Manager of Government Relations, H&R Block), and Meghan Stringer (VP of Product and Commercial Policy, AHIP)
4 p.m. − Individual Networking Meetings
Thursday, March 19
8 a.m. − Session 4a: Fireside Chat with Congressman Shomari Figures (AL-02)
9:30 a.m. − Session 4b: Fireside Chat with Congressman Barry Moore (AL-01)
11 a.m. − Individual Networking Meetings
2 p.m. − U.S. Capitol Tour at 1533 Longworth House Office Building with Savannah Berryman (Director of Operations, U.S. House of Representatives) and Zach Johnson (Legislative Assistant, U.S. House of Representatives)
3:30 p.m. − Session 5: Capitol Hill at 440 Cannon Building with Josh Hillman (Counsel, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse), Shana Oshinskie (Digital Director, Senator Mark R. Warner), Nick Tolbert (Legislative Correspondent, Senator Katie Britt), and Sophia Warner (Legislative Assistant, U.S. House of Representatives)
5 p.m. − Individual Networking Meetings
6:30 p.m. − Networking Reception with Blackburn Advisory Board members and Fellows hosted by Ibby Dickson (Manager of Federal Advocacy, The League of Credit Unions)
Friday, March 20
9:15 a.m. − Session 6: Non-Argument Session of the Supreme Court of the United States
11 a.m. − Supreme Court Tour
1:30 p.m. − Individual Networking Meetings
Saturday, March 21
9 a.m. − Student Reflections
12:30 p.m. − Individual Networking Meetings