Legacy by Ashleigh

Legacy by Ashleigh - October 2017 Scholarship Essay

If I were to sit down and have dinner with a president, I would have to say that it would be James Madison. I am currently a student at James Madison University which was named after him and we have a couple of statues in his likeness around our campus.

Since he was one of the earlier presidents, I think I would be curious as to how it was leading a country still on just starting out and branching off on its own. James Madison was not one of the most covered presidents when I was younger and in school because I don't think anyone considers him to be as interesting or to have done as much as other notable presidents like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

Despite all of this, I can't help but be a little curious on the accomplishments and life of the president that my university was named after and I would like to have sat down with him to not only learn about him in this regard but to also be able to show him the legacy he left behind with a university that has been established for decades and seen many generations of students come and go, I and my father among them. It's almost like when you want to bring someone from an early century to more modern times to see how they would react to technology, which would be true in this case but with the added, "Look where your accomplishments and deeds have gotten to and how they've flourished for future generations in the America you helped build."

So yes. I would pick James Madison because, as a student at JMU, I feel like I would have an easy and more personal connection with him.