Each year, the Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) program welcomes the next incoming class through New Student Orientation, a three-day program to introduce them to life at Georgetown. This August, new students had the opportunity to put the MSFS value of service into action through a Service Day in partnership with Washington Parks & People (WPP).
The MSFS newcomers traveled to Meridian Hill Park in Northwest D.C. on August 25 for a day of park cleanup and community education. Through simple tasks like trash removal, raking and weed-pulling, they were not only able to get hands-on experience serving the local community, but also spent quality time with each other and got to know the class with which they’ll spend the next few years. “As an international student, MSFS orientation gave me this feeling of belonging to the program,” said Mohammed Soliman, MSFS ‘19. “The program leadership, professors, alumni and second year students were all truly sincere, humble and helpful. I’m so proud to be an MSFSer.”
Partnering with Washington Parks & People introduced the students to just one local organization they can now engage for future service opportunities. Working to revitalize parks while working towards justice in the community, WPP has served the D.C. area for over 25 years and has led the transformation of Meridian Hill from the single-most violent park in the capital region into one of its safest. “I have enjoyed many afternoons at Meridian Hill Park, but I now have a newfound appreciation for the park as a space revitalized and safeguarded by community members,” said Erica Kim, incoming MSFSer. “The past and present public service facilitated by WPP was inspiring and made our Service Day that much more meaningful! Not only am I motivated to be more involved in the work done in our local community, but I am also curious to learn about the significance of the spaces around us.”