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At first glance, a university immersion trip may not seem very appealing at first. Going into it, I expected to strictly work on my resume, to grin from ear to ear in front of CEOs, in hopes of landing a summer internship.

But my assumptions were entirely wrong. I can assure you, the experience is worth your spring break.

Syracuse University’s D.C. Immersion trip launched in 2012 as an opportunity for sophomores and juniors to experience Washington, D.C. and Baltimore by engaging with more than 15,000 alumni and visiting companies, such as AARP and NASA.

Twenty students have the chance to experience life beyond University Hill, and I was lucky enough to be one of them.

A huge lesson I took from my trip is that alumni don’t bite. During our alumni dinner, we discussed the political state of global politics over a great Afghan meal. I had the chance to share my career goals and listen intently to alumni stories. As one alum described his current position, I hoped to make the conversation more personable.

I took a risk and asked, “Have you ever heard the story of the........

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