Shaye Callanan ‘26
News Editor
An exciting new program entitled “Washington, D.C. Unlocked: The Real Capital Through Four Lenses” will give students an opportunity to immerse themselves in the history and life of Washington, D.C. The deadline to apply was Sunday, February 15th. This four week summer program, taking place from June 6 through July 5 2026, will allow students to learn about the nation’s capital through courses in history, environmental studies, politics, literature, and urban studies. These studies will be combined with hands-on field work in exploring the city’s landscapes, architecture, and public spaces.
The course will be part of the American Field Studies Series, a collection of location-based summer programs that use on-site learning to deepen academic inquiry and foster meaningful engagement with the American experience. Professor Sarah Luria of Environmental Studies and Christopher Murray, Director of the Washington Semester Program, will accompany students throughout the four weeks.
It is fittingly the 250th anniversary of the nation, and the course will treat D.C. as the blend of many different national ideas and values it embodies. The program will observe Washington as a “Natural City, Capital City, Residential City, and Symbolic City, culminating at the Washington Monument on July 4.” Students will study the differences between early Washington, the Civil War era, and the modern monumental city, gaining insight into the capital’s evolving ideals, tensions, and lived realities. The presence of environmental issues, cultural differences, racial inequalities, and political tensions will be closely studied as well.
“Washington, D.C. Unlocked” presents an exciting opportunity for students who may be interested in the Washington Semester program but cannot commit to a full semester away. At such a contentious time in political history, this program presents an interesting chance for academic reflection on what our nation’s capital has meant throughout history and what it represents today.
Copy edited by Molly Croft ‘29
Leave a Reply