Penn State Law class of 2017 LL.M. students tour Washington, D.C.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The incoming class of LL.M. students at Penn State Law recently had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., to experience all of the history that the American capital has to offer. The three-day trip was the pre-cursor to the beginning of their legal studies in the United States.

One of the highlights of the trip was the visit to the National Archives, where the students viewed the Charters of Freedom—original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights—which form the foundation of the American legal system.

“I was dumbfounded when I stood in the rotunda in front of the three greatest documents that gave way to the free world,” said Indian LL.M. student Lennora D’Coutho, after visiting the National Archives.

The students also saw many of the iconic monuments associated with the city, including the Capitol Building, the Lincoln and Washington Memorials, and the White House.

The students convened on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and reflected not only on Lincoln, but on the precise location where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his August 28, 1963, “I Have a Dream” speech—a speech that many students read and listened to, and some even memorized, when they were in elementary school. Assistant Dean Stephen Barnes reminded students that King’s non-violence themes were inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.

“This location, the Lincoln Memorial, perhaps even more so than the Statue of Liberty, is the one American edifice, memorial, or temple that unites all nationalities and citizens, and belongs to all,” Barnes told the students.

Other highlights of the trip included visiting the various famous museums that D.C. has to offer. The National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of American History, and the National Museum of Natural History were among some of the most popular with the students.

The Penn State Law LL.M. class of 2017 consists of 88 students from 28 countries around the world.