College of the Ozarks students to travel to Washington D.C.

POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — College of the Ozarks will continue the groundbreaking CitizenTrip^® that began in 2019 as part of their Patriotic Education Program. The College will be sending 40 students on an intensive trip to Washington, D.C., at no cost to the students, Sept. 26 – 28, 2024.  

The seniors will have the opportunity to tour the U.S. Capitol, as well as the National Mall, which encompasses the Washington Monument, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. The trip will also include locations like the White House, the National Archives Museum, and Arlington National Cemetery.

The students will hear from Vietnam Veteran Earl “Hap” Culp, who served as a tunnel rat, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Brigadier General James Schreffler, vice president for patriotic activities, accompanies the students on this trip.

“The CitizenTrip^® allows students to see and experience historical sights they have studied throughout their entire educational career,” General Schreffler said. “By seeing these sights firsthand and hearing Veterans reflect on their experiences at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at the National Mall, students return with renewed respect and increased love for our country.”

The trip is an integral part of fulfilling the patriotic goal of College of the Ozarks, which is to encourage an understanding of American heritage, civic responsibility, love of country, and willingness to defend it.

The trip will be hosted by The William S. Knight Center for Patriotic Education at College of the Ozarks. The Center was dedicated on Constitution Day, Sept. 17, 2021.

Following are the members of faculty and staff who will be accompanying the students on the trip: Dr. Brad Johnson, College of the Ozarks president; Brigadier General James P. Schreffler, vice president for patriotic activities; Dr. Ryan Knight, dean of students; Captain Andrew Ashley, instructor of military science; Captain Jamin Pyatt, military science instructor; Dr. David Dalton, distinguished professor of history; Dr. Raine Prather, assistant professor of nursing; Chassidy Brittain, director of patriotic activities; and Kimberly Williams, director of admissions operations.

For additional information, contact Public Relations Director Valorie Coleman at (417) 690-2212.

About College of the Ozarks

College of the Ozarks is a private, Christian, liberal arts college, located in Point Lookout, Missouri, on a 1,000-acre campus. Christian values, hard work, and financial responsibility comprise the fundamental building blocks of the “Hard Work U.” experience. The College earns numerous accolades yearly, including No. 1 Most Innovative School in the Midwest and No. 1 Best Value Regional College in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for 2023-2024 and No. 3 Best Bang for the Buck by Washington Monthly, 2023. To achieve its vision, the College pursues academic, vocational, Christian, patriotic, and cultural goals. These goals are mirrored in School of the Ozarks, a laboratory school that completes the K-college model.

The Keeter Center — the College’s award-winning lodge, restaurant, and conference facility — earns awards consistently, including the TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Award 2023 and the Best of the Best and Readers’ Choice Awards 2023 from ConventionSouth magazine. The Keeter Center features historic lodging, fine dining, and meeting rooms. With more than 350 student workers, it is the largest workstation on campus. Follow College of the Ozarks on Facebook at www.facebook.com/collegeoftheozarks , on Instagram, @collegeoftheozarks, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/school/college-of-the-ozarks/, or on X,  @CofOHardWorkU.