Alumna champions liberal arts on Capitol Hill

Political science alumna Grace Carlos ‘23 represented Eastern Connecticut State University at the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges’ (COPLAC) legislative breakfast on Jan. 22 in Washington, D.C. Hosted in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, the event highlighted COPLAC’s efforts to promote liberal arts education at public universities and rally support from legislators.

Carlos spoke about her liberal arts education at Eastern and how it impacts her own career. She now works as a scheduler for the United States House of Representatives on Capitol Hill.

Read Carlos’s address here:

Good morning. My name is Grace Carlos, and I am a proud 2023 graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. My path to Eastern was shaped by both accessibility and affordability. I began my higher education journey at a community college, where I was able to earn my associate’s degree at a low cost. After finishing community college, I was able to seamlessly transfer to a public four-year university. Receiving scholarships and federal student aid made earning my bachelor’s degree with honors possible.

 I truly realized the value of a public liberal arts education during one of my first semesters at Eastern. In an anthropology course on transnational, racial, and ethnic identity, I was learning about the culture and historical development of societies in African countries. Later that same day, in my global politics class, we examined conflicts between African nations rooted in ethnic and religious differences. Because of my earlier class, I was able to understand those conflicts not just from a political lens, but from a cultural and human one. That ability to connect ideas across disciplines is what defines a liberal arts education, and it’s what allowed me to understand not only what was happening, but why it mattered to the people involved.

My “why” for entering politics has always been about helping people. I’ve always had a heart for public service, whether it be serving on my local board of education, mentoring youth through my church, or traveling to advocate for young people across the country. Eastern gave me the tools to serve more effectively by teaching me to listen, to analyze context, and to understand perspectives different from my own. Studying political theory, history, and culture helped me recognize that you cannot serve people fully without first understanding where they come from

Today, I apply those lessons daily in my professional work on Capitol Hill. I collaborate with people from diverse states and communities. Even as someone from Connecticut working in a California-based office, I have learned how people approach policy based on their different experiences. My liberal arts education prepared me to navigate those differences thoughtfully and effectively. Looking ahead, I aspire to continue working in public service, using the skills and values I gained at Eastern to advocate for policies that expand opportunity and strengthen communities.

My story is only possible because public institutions like Eastern Connecticut State University remain accessible and affordable. Continued support for students through programs like Pell Grants and federal student aid, protection of federal research funding, and a strong commitment to the value of liberal arts education are critical not just for students like me, but for the future of our workforce and democracy. Public liberal arts institutions prepare graduates who think critically, serve compassionately, and lead with understanding. I am proud to be one of them.