Nicholls State University’s Student Government Association President, Emma Bourgeois, went to Washington D.C. in January with other Louisiana student leaders.

The opportunity was provided by the Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents (COSBP). According to the Louisiana Board of Regents website, COSBP is an organization that allows for its council to serve as a representative body for Louisiana’s college and university students.

The students arrived in D.C. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, and stayed through Sunday, Jan. 26. Bourgeois said the trip was paid for using money from the university travel budget and the SGA executive travel budget.

Bourgeois said the trip consisted of many activities that gave the student leaders first-hand knowledge of how the national and local governments work together. The students were able to see the city, meet government officials and even sit-in on the impeachment trial for a while.

Bourgeois said they were able to meet with government representatives Ralph Abraham, Garrett Graves and Cedric Richmond to learn more about higher education and hear what the representatives do for Nicholls, as well as for the state.

Bourgeois said she and the students also went to the House Chamber and heard from Steve Scalise about what he does and she had the opportunity to ask him questions.

The students met with the advocacy organizations Higher Learning Advocates, National Campus Leadership Council and The Education Trust. Bourgeois said that the COSBP students were able to have round-table discussions with the organizations about what they wanted to see in higher education at their own schools, as well as what they felt they needed in government.

Bourgeois said that during the trip, the COSBP student leaders saw and toured many landmarks in D.C., which she had never been to on previous trips to D.C. The students went to the White House, the Capitol and the Library of Congress.

“It was nice being able to go to D.C. and see more of the White House and the Capitol,” Bourgeois said. “It was a really good experience to see a place where so much history has happened.”

Bourgeois said that in their free time, she and some of the other students also visited other monuments around the area.

Bourgeois said the experience was a great way for her to get to know other student body presidents and learn how other student government organizations compare to Nicholls’ SGA. She said it was a great way to learn from them and discuss how they could help each other in the future.

“It definitely encouraged me to keep moving forward and keep pushing with SGA,” Bourgeois said.