Davidson students in their sophomore or junior years may apply for the
program. Freshmen with particular interest and background
in politics may also apply, though preference is given ordinarily to upperclass students. Sixteen
students are selected from among those who apply. Eligibility is NOT limited to political
science majors; indeed, students who have yet to declare a major or who are non-majors are encouraged
to apply. The only thing in common among participants, in fact, is an abiding interest
in politics and a desire to spend part of the summer in Washington, D.C.
Participants in the program take a seminar taught by a Davidson political science
professor who lives in the Washington area for the duration of the program.
The nature of the seminar is determined by the teaching interests of the
resident professor. Past seminars have dealt with American politics, international
politics, comparative politics, and political theory.
The seminar is a "regular"
Davidson College course; that is, participants receive a letter grade and a full
course credit for the seminar. Under most circumstances, the seminar would
meet in the evenings in a classroom
on the campus of George Washington University. Seminars sometimes meet on Capitol
Hill (in a U.S. House or Senate hearings room, for example) or in the offices
of interest groups or trade associations.
Participants serve also as interns in Washington area offices. The diversity
of internship experiences can hardly be exaggerated. Peruse the list of
offices (below) in which Davidson students have worked during the last eight years.
Internships have included work in House and Senate offices, congressional
committees, public and private interest groups, political party organizations,
think tanks, media offices, and the like.
Students receive a full course credit for successful completion of their internship. The grade is
pass/fail, but (unlike other internships) political science majors may count it
as a credit toward fulfillment of major requirements.
To see what sort of internships past participants in the Davidson in Washington
Program have completed, simply click on the link for any year listed below.
You will find the student's name, name of the office, a contact person at
each office, and (in most cases) an address and phone number.
© Copyright 1997, Dan Mojonnier.