Summer Program Frequently-Asked-Questions

The internship program affords students the opportunity to combine academic study with practical political and professional experience.  WHIP is a semester-long program, offered full-time in both the fall and spring semesters, as well as a summer component.  Students participating in WHIP during the summer component may earn as little as one credit, or as many as four.

What is the work/study breakdown? 

Students in summer can choose to enroll in one or two academic classes and also work full or part-time in Washington, D.C., in an internship of their choice. 

How will I secure my internship? 

Summer WHIP students are responsible for selecting and securing their own internships in Washington, D.C.  Starting early each calendar year, and only upon request (due to the high volume of summer participants), Kirby Center staff will assist students in their internship selection. 

What courses can I take? 

WHIP students in the summer can take one or both of the following courses: 

Political Science 393: “Politics and Public Service” (1 credit hour)
Includes lectures around the common theme of politics and public service.  How is the idea of public service related to the idea of statesmanship?  How do elected officials, their staff members, judges, journalists, policy researchers, and even entrepreneurs carry out their Washington, D.C.-based work on behalf of the common good?  Students will attend a set number of special presentations and then write a graded op-ed and a short paper on a topic to be assigned at the outset of the course.  Past speakers have included Justice Clarence Thomas, ABC News correspondent Jan Crawford Greenburg, Chief Judge Royce Lamberth (United States District Court for the District of Columbia), and former State Department official Liz Cheney.  Course instructor David Bobb will begin and end the course with seminar discussions of the major themes.
   
Political Science 393: “America at War” (3 credit hours)
Features leading thinkers in the areas of foreign policy studies, international relations, and intelligence.  It includes presentations and readings exploring America’s current conflicts within a framework of constitutionalism and war.  This course also will examine topics including:  just war theory in an age of asymmetric warfare; Lincoln’s wartime constitutionalism; and the role of public diplomacy in wartime.  Potential instructors for this course are being determined but will include scholars and practitioners of such fields as intelligence acquisition and analysis, counterinsurgency operations, counterterrorism, and just war theory.  A paper and oral presentation will comprise the course assignments.

Can I earn more than 4 total credits?  Why not 15 credits like the fall and spring? 

Academic credit (9 general credits) is not given for the summer internships, unlike internships in the fall and spring semesters.

How will my credits be graded? 

Students will receive grades for each individual course taken.  Grades will be assigned by the instructors based on attendance, assignments, papers, and exams given.

What if I’m not majoring in Political Science? 

WHIP is open to students in all majors. The only prerequisite for the program is completion of POL 101: The U.S. Constitution. If you are interested in taking the POL 393 courses for credit outside of political science, contact WHIP@hillsdale.edu with a specific request.

Can I apply as a freshman or sophomore? 

Yes – the only prerequisite for the summer portion of WHIP is completion of POL 101: The U.S. Constitution.

How expensive is the summer component of WHIP—is there financial assistance? 

Summer WHIP students who enroll in one or both courses pay tuition at the regular credit hour rate. Unlike fall or spring semester WHIP students, summer WHIP students do not receive scholarship assistance.

Where will I live for the semester? 

Summer students must secure their own housing. Kirby Center staff will provide information on the best options, and students will be connected to alumni and other friends of the College for assistance.

What does the application process look like for summer WHIP? 

After registering for one or both of the POL 393 courses, students should then simply notify the WHIP office of their decision to participate.  Please email WHIP at WHIP@hillsdale.edu.

What else can I do in addition to my internship and these two courses? 

All students and recent alumni are welcome to attend lectures presented as part of the “Politics and Public Service” course.  In addition, select lectures for the course on “America at War” may be open to students not taking the course for credit.  All students will be encouraged to attend the “First Principles on First Fridays” monthly lectures in June and July, as well as other summer Kirby Center events.  The Washington, D.C., Hillsdale alumni chapter will host several social and networking events for summer WHIP students, as well as offer mentoring opportunities throughout the summer.  In addition, several optional trips coordinated by alumni and other volunteers will be offered to students.

Questions?  E-mail WHIP@hillsdale.edu