MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS (December 17, 2025) — Mason Reed didn't come to Monmouth College to study international relations or to major in religious studies. In fact, those disciplines are pretty far across the academic spectrum from his field of exercise science.
But Reed, a senior from Knoxville, Illinois, is still interested in the subjects, and he learned about both on a trip to Washington DC last month. He was part of a select group of undergraduates who had the opportunity to visit the Embassy of Israel and have a sit-down with Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) Leiter through the Israel Now program of Reed's fraternity, Zeta Beta Tau.
Advanced conversations in DC
Israel Now highlights ZBT's deep connection to Israel. The students in attendance had advanced conversations on topics related to the Middle East and learned powerful strategies to support Israel on their campuses.
"It was a really cool experience," said Reed, who serves as president of Monmouth's Interfraternity Council. "The trip was fully paid for by ZBT — the flight, the food, the housing. That was a big contributing factor on how I was able to go."
Reed had been to Washington before, but it was on an eighth-grade graduation trip.
"I didn't fully appreciate it when I went back then," he said.
Reed credited Julian Albright, ZBT's assistant director of heritage programs and partner relations, for extending an invitation and helping to secure his funding.
The networking opportunities alone made the trip worthwhile — including another visit with ZBT director Kristen Whitver Fouts ('03), who Reed had just seen at Monmouth's Homecoming — but he also learned strategies for recognizing and coming against antisemitism on a college campus.
"We don't have a big culture for it here, but other colleges struggle with it," said Reed. "I learned how I can help, and how I can educate other students."
Next semester, he plans to give a presentation on Monmouth's campus about what he learned, and he's also communicating with a Purdue University student he met on the trip about a joint event between the ZBT chapters at the two schools. ZBT is an historically Jewish fraternity, and even though Reed is not of that faith himself, he's become very interested in promoting antisemitism on campus, and beyond.
"It was very eye-opening," said Reed. "This is a serious thing that does happen. I can help make people better equipped to deal with it."
More travels ahead
The quick visit to the nation's capital wasn't Reed's first big trip as a Monmouth student, and it won't be his last. He first caught the travel bug while doing a walking tour of England last spring, led by faculty member James Godde.
"It was so much fun," said Reed, who said he and his fellow travelers logged about twenty miles a day, totaling 220 miles in all. "It was a really cool way to tour the UK. I especially enjoyed how nice they really are over there. They were very accepting of us."
Next May 19-28 — and very closely related to his time in Washington — Reed will visit Holocaust sites on a trip to Germany, Poland, and Austria, led by faculty members Ryan Colclasure and Joan Wertz.
"My trip to England really opened me up to international travel," said Reed. "At the end of last year, I heard about the Holocaust trip. I've always been interested in World War II history. This trip is exactly what I've been wanting to do."
After Reed returns from Europe, he'll take a few weeks off from his studies before pursuing a graduate degree in athletic training at Illinois State University.
