Story by Isabel Correa, a communication major from Greentown, who participated in the Capital Campus trip.

WASHINGTON - Indiana University's new Capital Campus, located in Washington, DC, serves as a place to connect not just IU students to the city itself but to an environment that can better prepare them for whatever their future plans might be. IU Kokomo students are beginning to see that they have a place in spaces that they might have never imagined before.

For IU Kokomo student Ronald Whybrew, one of the most memorable parts of his experience was how comfortable the Capital Campus immediately felt. That sense of comfort quickly turned into something bigger and more impactful. What began as a trip to a new city became a personal turning point.

"I would say that it overall impacted me in a very positive way," said Whybrew, from Amboy. "Typically, I'm not a very social person. However, I would say that the trip helped me come out of my shell and actually talk to people more than I used to. This will help me in the future when it comes to getting involved in IU events."

The Capital Campus is designed to connect students across the entire IU system, and for many IU Kokomo students, those connections became one of the most valuable aspects of the experience.

Will Van Heyningen, student body president, said his favorite part of the Capital Campus was its location in the heart of the city.

"The campus is in the middle of a fun location, Dupont Circle, which has many places to eat or visit. It is also close to the metro that can take you anywhere throughout the city where you can learn or have new experiences," said Van Heyningen, from Rochester.

Beyond exploring Washington, the experience also created lasting relationships between students from regional campuses who may have never met otherwise.

"It was great to get connected with other regional campuses," Van Heyningen said. "It brought us together and these connections will outlast the trip itself."

For students attending a regional campus, opportunities to network on a larger scale can be life changing. The Capital Campus not only exposes students to internships and professional experiences but also reminds them that they are part of a much larger Indiana University community.

Grayson Arndt, Marion, described the people he met as the defining part of the experience.

"My favorite part of the Capital Campus was the amazing people there," Arndt said. "They were kind, welcoming, and accepting. This applies both to the group and the organizers and leaders of the Capital Campus. They really made it feel like home away from home, and its vicinity to so many potential opportunities was amazing as well."

Additional students selected for the Capital Campus trip included Rebecka Hoosier, Frankfort; Isabel Correa, Greentown; Aidan Birkey, Logan Bishir, and Madison Johnson, Kokomo; and Madison Campbell, Logansport.

The trip was offered as part of the IU Kokomo Experience and You (KEY) program, which provides transformative learning opportunities through a wide variety of hands-on experiences, from faculty-mentored research, internships, and retreats, to overseas study, domestic field trips, and project-based learning.

During the students' time in Washington, DC, they were able to participate in many activities that allowed them a full campus experience. There are two floors that make up the residence halls, and this is where the IU Kokomo students stayed. On other floors there are classrooms where the students were able to hear from guest lecturers including IU Kokomo Chancellor Mark Canada, Brett Seidle, former undersecretary of the Navy, and former FBI agent Tom Ford.

Other activities included tours of the U.S. Capitol, the U.S. Supreme Court, Arlington National Cemetery, the National Museum of African American History & Culture, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial, the U.S. Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and the National Mall and memorials. The group also visited Baltimore, with stops at the USS Constellation and USS Torsk, Fort McHenry, and the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Museum and Fells Point.

The group also met with the Indiana Congressional delegation.

For Arndt and many other students that attended this KEY trip, the trip helped shape their visions for the future. As IU continues investing in opportunities through the Capital Campus, students at IU Kokomo are beginning to see Washington, D.C. not as a distant destination, but as a place where they can learn, grow, and succeed.

For regional campus students, the Capital Campus represents more than just a building in the nation's capital. It represents access. It represents connection. It represents the idea that no matter where students begin their journey, they can still find themselves at the center of opportunity.

Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.