On Thursday, April 24^th, the Georgetown Action Network of ServeNext.org held its inaugural event! The event, titled “A Life of Service from the Peace Corps to Congress” featured Representative Chris Shays (R-CT)

Shays spoke to a crowd of 40-50 students on the steps of Old North, reminiscing about his two years of service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji with his wife, Betsi. He said that his time with the Peace Corps was the best two years of his life, and he explained how those experiences influenced his future commitment to public service.

For example, he recalled spending a night with the residents at Cabrini-Green while in Chicago to address public housing issues, instead of staying in a comfortable hotel. Shays spoke optimistically about the future of national service, saying that all three serious presidential contenders – McCain, Obama, and Clinton – have an excellent record on service issues.

Shays also addressed the need to expand support for national service in Congress by appealing to each party in its own language, and he explained how service fits in to the ideals of the Republican Party. At the end of the evening, he signed a ServeNext t-shirt, signifying his commitment national service expansion.