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Alumni Spotlights

Close Up alumni have gone on to become leaders in government, advocacy, business, education, media, and a number of other fields. We are grateful to have these visionaries as members of our alumni network and we invite you to join if you haven’t already, to make valuable connections and share your own story with us. Check out a selection of our alumni stories and memories below! 

Ashleigh Barber

Cornel Benford II | Student 2002

From practicing governance to serving on the Glenn Heights City Council, Close Up alum Cornel Benford II’s experience as a high school senior in 2002 fueled his commitment to community leadership by connecting him with elected officials and helping him exchange views with students from across the country.      

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Ashleigh Barber

Elia Quintana | Student 1993

Growing up in California’s Central Valley as a first-generation migrant student, Elia Quintana never envisioned traveling far from home, let alone getting on a plane. But everything changed during her time at Arvin High School, when she was lucky enough to have two opportunities to attend Close Up programs in

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Ashleigh Barber

Patrick Sheehan | Student 1994

In preparation for his Close Up alumni interview, Patrick Sheehan dug through his memorabilia to find the Close Up Current Issues notebook he used during his January 1994 program. He was encouraged when noting that some metrics have improved since the 1990s (i.e. percentage of children in poverty, percentage of

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Ashleigh Barber

Alton Nelson | Student 1981

Growing up in rural Georgia, Alton Nelson was thrilled when he was offered an opportunity to participate in Close Up’s Washington program as a student at Temple High School. At the time, eighth graders were part of the high school (endearingly called “sub-freshmen”), but this did not deter or preclude

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Ashleigh Barber

Carin Kale | Student 1978

From a very young age, Carin Kale wanted to give back to her community. As a child, her mother brought her to the voting booth, showing her how to express her opinion. Since civic engagement was a priority for her mom, Kale learned from an early age how important voting

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Ashleigh Barber

Lara Bergthold | Student, 1985

On Close Up, Lara Bergthold remembers being with students from other schools and learning about their backgrounds. She remembers visiting Washington, DC, being at the monuments, staying in a hotel, and hearing from speakers. But Bergthold was most excited to hear from women working in DC, and coming to understand

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