Congress to Campus

Ever wondered how American election campaigns are run? Find out from the people who have lived them - former US Congress Members.

Congress to Campus is a totally free event for students in Year 12/Level 3 Year 1, delivered in partnership with the British Library, the Arthur Miller Institute for American Studies, and UEA's School of Politics, Philosophy and Area Studies.

You'll hear from two former US Congress Members as they reflect on their time in government and answer your questions. Ask about the difficulties of an increasingly divided politics, how legislation actually gets passed, and what goes on behind the scenes in Congress.

When and where?

Congress to Campus takes place on Wednesday 11 November 2026 between 9.30am and 2.30pm.

This is an in-person event hosted at UEA.

Here's an approximate outline of the schedule:

• 9.30am - Arrive on campus

• 10.15am - Take your seats in the lecture theatre

• 10.30am - Talk and Q&A with two former US Congresspeople

• Midday - Lunch break

• 1.15pm - Politics session with a UEA academic*

• 2.30pm - End of event

*The afternoon session is reserved for students attending one of our Outreach target schools or colleges. Check the FAQ section to see if your school is on the list.

Who is it for?

To be eligible for Congress to Campus, you should:

• Be in Year 12 or Level 3 Year 1 and

• Live in Norfolk or Suffolk

When allocating places, priority will be given to students who meet our widening participation eligibility criteria. You can find a full list of the criteria at the bottom of this page.

Anyone with an interest in politics, history, or American studies is welcome to sign up. If you're studying A Level Politics or A Level History, the insights you gain at this event will be useful for any American or comparative politics elements of your course.

How do I sign up?

To sign up for this event, just complete the online registration form by Friday 16 October.

Speaker info

Curious about the congresspeople you'll be hearing from? Here are some brief speaker biographies:

Val Demings (Democrat - Florida)

Val Demings served in the House of Representatives from 2017 to 2023. She represented Florida's 10th District, which includes much of the area of Orlando's resort parks. Prior to her election, Demings was a serving police officer for 27 years, including four years (2007 to 2011) as the first female chief of the Orlando Police Department. In 2020, she was one of seven House impeachment managers who presented the impeachment case against Donald Trump.

Garret Graves (Republican - Louisiana)

Garret Graves served in the House of Representatives from 2015 to 2025, representing Louisiana's 6th District. Graves spent many years as a legislative aide in the House and Senate, with lots of behind-the-scenes experience of how Congress works. As Chair of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, he was involved in negotiations between the state and BP over the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Frequently asked questions