A Unique and Unforgettable Cultural Excursion

Last year I had the opportunity to be a part of a Cultural Excursion to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. On February 18, 2017, students, faculty, and staff gathered at Squires at 4 o’clock in the morning waiting for the bus to take us to Washington, D.C. One by one, we hopped on the bus ready to take the four-hour long trip. For the first couple of hours the bus was pretty quiet, then everyone began to wake up slowly and discuss what they were anticipating to see at the museum in hushed tones.

When we arrived at the museum, we got into our designated groups led by faculty and staff. We proceeded to take selfies and group pictures outside of the museum in excitement. Then it was our time to enter the museum. When we stepped foot in the building our eyes widened in awe. We could see all the time and love put into each detail. The exhibit began at ground level and made its way up through history. My group stuck together for the first 30 minutes, but we quickly realized that we had to take this journey individually and come back together to debrief. After the last exhibit, we all met back up to eat lunch and discuss what we all saw. It was truly amazing that we all went to the same museum but we all left with something different. For me, I am interested in music and pop culture, so seeing the P-Funk Mothership in real life made grin from ear to ear. Another exhibit that stuck with me was the Emmett Till exhibit--everyone who walked through that exhibit had tears pouring down their face.

After the museum we all boarded the bus to go to the Freedom House Museum in Alexandria, VA, hosted by Black Virginia Tech Alumni. At the Freedom House we had the opportunity to interact with a panel of successful Black alumni, network with alumni in the DMV area, as well as hear about the history of the museum in the basement of the house. For many students, including myself, we were really inspired by the alumni’s willingness to share their experiences and time with us.

This was a unique and unforgettable experience. I got to meet and interact with Black faculty whom otherwise I would never have had the chance to meet. I’ve made connections that will last a lifetime not only with faculty, but with my peers and alumni. I don’t believe I could’ve had this experience any place else and I am truly grateful to the CCC, OID, DSA, Alumni Association and Moss for their help in organizing.