Bowling Green State University Athletics
Schoenberger Goes To Washington
April 07, 2004 | Women's Tennis
April 7, 2004
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Last week, BGSU tennis student-athlete Susie Schoenberger had the chance to travel to Washington, D.C., for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Schoenberger was selected by the State of Ohio to represent the state at numerous functions in the nation's capital. Schoenberger, now back in Bowling Green, is preparing for this weekend's home matches vs. Miami and Marshall, but took time out from classes and practices to share some of her experiences from the past week...
During March 28 - April 3, 2004, I represented Ohio at the 2004 National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. This year's Festival marked the 150th anniversary of the Treaty of Peace and Amity, the beginning of formal relations between the United States and Japan. The Cherry Blossom Festival began in 1912 with the gift of flowering cherry trees to Washington, D.C. by Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo.
On the first day, I met the representatives from the other states, as well as Sweden, Lithuania, Thailand, Panama, Greece, Ukraine, Philippines, Japan, Guam and the North Marianas. Our first formal event was to attend the Lantern Lighting. Located along the Tidal Basin, this 350-year-old lantern had been given by Japan in 1954 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of America's first treaty with Japan. Here we met the mayor of Washington, D.C., Anthony A. Williams, the ambassador from Japan, Ryozo Kato, and his wife. As state representatives, we learned several expressions in Japanese that we would later use at the Japanese Embassy and at numerous events with the Japanese Princess and other Japanese dignitaries.
Highlights during the week included meeting First Lady Laura Bush at the White House, visiting Arlington National Cemetery and the Women in Military Service to America Memorial, where we laid a wreath honoring women killed in action, and visiting the embassies of Thailand, Ukraine, North Marianas, and Japan.
 Susie Schoenberger and her Falcon teammates will host Miami Friday (April 9) and Marshall Saturday (April 10) at Keefe Courts, with each match scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. (photo by Jonathan Willey)  |
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The week in Washington, D.C. was long and tiring due to a very full schedule of events. It was a great opportunity, however, to learn more about others from very diverse backgrounds and cultures, and to learn more about Japan and our own political system. This experience will serve me well as a telecommunications major, adding to what I have already learned at Bowling Green State University. I could not, however, have done this without the support of BGSU, my professors, Coach Penny Dean and my tennis teammates. I'm really getting back into the tennis groove and am looking forward to the rest of the tennis season.
