A group of Northeast Texas Community College travelers recently returned from an unforgettable travel study experience in Washington, D.C., where they spent several days exploring the history, government, and culture of the nation’s capital.

The trip provided participants with a unique opportunity to experience many of the places and institutions they have studied and read about over the years. Highlights included a guided tour of the U.S. Capitol led by a member of Congressman Nathaniel Moran’s staff, a tour of the White House, and visits to several Smithsonian museums, including the National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of American History.

The group also visited some of America’s most recognizable landmarks and historic sites, including the Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington. Along the way, travelers gained practical experience navigating the city by mastering the D.C. Metro system and exploring the capital like locals.

“The trip was a great opportunity to connect classroom learning with real places, real institutions, and real history,” said Matt Homer, NTCC instructor and trip coordinator. “From government and politics to culture and historical preservation, participants were able to experience concepts they have studied in a much more meaningful way.”

In addition to the educational experiences, the trip offered plenty of opportunities for discussion, reflection, and fellowship among participants.

NTCC offers a travel study course each summer that allows students, employees, and community members to explore a different destination while earning college credit. For more information about future travel study opportunities, contact Matt Homer at thomer@ntcc.edu.

President Trump could be facing Republican pushback from soon-to-be former senators. Panelists on Washington Week With The Atlantic joined last night to discuss the group known as the YOLO caucus, and more.

Breaks between the GOP and the president could have a particular effect on the ongoing Iran war, Nancy Youssef, a staff writer at The Atlantic, said last night. “The idea that we’re starting to see fissures within [Trump’s] own party, I think, potentially gives Iran some leverage in terms of pushing for a deal that is more favorable to them,” she argued. “We’ve seen the president really toggle between trying to end this war as quickly as possible and also get some wide- reaching, headline-grabbing outcome out of it.”

Joining the editor in chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, to discuss this and more: Stephen Hayes, the editor of The Dispatch; Annie Linskey, a White House reporter at The Wall Street Journal; Michael Scherer, a staff writer at The Atlantic; and Youssef.

Watch the full episode here.