On Wednesday, March 8th, the annual USSYP Senate Reception is held in the Kennedy Caucus Room (SR – 325) from 5:00-7:00 pm. This is also the time for senators to sign the students’ $10,000 college scholarship certificates, given in the name of the United States Senate.
Students and Senate staff alike often ask if students can drop by individual senate offices to meet with their senators. Unfortunately, to maintain tight and constant security, and to ensure the execution of the full Washington Week agenda, all students must remain with the group at all times during the program week.
We highly encourage all senators to attend the Annual Senate Reception if their schedules will allow. Approximately 80 senators per year attend this inspiring, energizing and fun event.
The USSYP Annual Senate Reception is not a usual reception with socializing or speeches. It is a streamlined event where the senator is quickly paired with his or her students and all it takes is 10 minutes of time total at a minimum. A formal invitation from the program Co-Chairs is mailed to all Senate offices in November. Senators can arrive at any point during the 5:00-7:00 pm time frame and the event is designed to accommodate the senators’ busy schedules while ensuring as many Members as possible can meet with their students.
- The Senator arrives and is announced at the door.
- The Senator’s delegates are brought forward to meet the Senator and the Senator often signs the delegate’s scholarship certificate.
- Senate photographers photograph Senators and students for the annual USSYP Yearbook which is distributed to all students and Senate offices and is posted on the USSYP website throughout the following year.
Once in the Caucus room, a minimum time commitment of ten minutes is all that is required. In addition, the program invites television media to the reception so that the students can be featured meeting their Senators on their hometown newscasts, and the senator’s press or education staff are encouraged to take their own photos for the senator’s website and social media..
Although it is a small amount of time, the impact of this event on the student delegates cannot be exaggerated. As student essays reflect, it is often the highlight of their week.
The 2018 USSYP Senate Reception will be held on Wednesday, March 7th from 5:00 – 7:00 pm in the Kennedy Caucus Room SR- 325 Please, save the date!
