Department of Political Science
The Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., at night
- Program Objectives
- Internship
- Seminar
- Colloquium
- Cultural Heritage
- Cost
- Living in Washington, D.C.
- Eligibility
- The WPNI Experience (syllabus, etc.)
- History
- Photoessays (Washington Monuments, Briefings, Students, Living Quarters)
- WPNI Video
- Contact
The Washington Program in National Issues (WPNI) is a full 15-week academic program offered each spring semester. A select group of juniors and seniors from various academic disciplines study the U.S. political process and national and international policy issues firsthand in the most dynamic and stimulating political atmosphere in the world: Washington,D.C.
The program's three primary objectives are:
(1) to facilitate learning about the U.S. political system and its policy issues.
(2) to develop an understanding of the interrelationship of public issues and structures of government.
(3) to encourage individual initiative and provide for experiences in internship and research.
WPNI 2003 group at the Capitol with President Carol A. Cartwright
An internship working in an organization or office to gain firsthand experience is arranged by each student with guidance from the director. Students have worked for members of Congress, think tanks, lobby groups, public defender services, defense contractors, and media organizations.
KSU Students have interned at the following sites in recent years:
C-SPAN
The Georgetown Law Center
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Senate
DC Public Defender Service
Brookings Institution
The White House
Common Cause
Washington Post.com
U.S. Department of Justice
International Rescue Committee
Amnesty International
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Heritage Foundation
ABC News
U.S. Government Accountability Office
FieldWorks
Republican National Committee
Republican Governors Association
Democratic National Committee
Smithsonian Museums
The Ad Council
Sierra Club
Low and Associates (Public Relations firm)
Embassy of Great Britain (Northern Ireland Bureau)
There are three principal thrusts to this component of the program. 1) Examination of the processes and function of the courts, Congress, the Presidency, the bureaucracy, and national elections; 2) Focus on domestic issues such as the economy, crime, and minority issues and their perception by the press and special interest groups; 3) Study of foreign affairs, national security, the military, and the changing geopolitical world.
The seminar consists of visits to and observations of institutions and people in the system and briefings by specialists in and out of government. Briefings have been held at the White House, the Pentagon, Congressional offices, government agencies including the CIA, embassies (such as the Saudi Arabian and Israeli embassies), as well as in the offices of special interest groups. In recent years, students have met with Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, former Senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole, ABC News broadcaster Sam Donaldson, political consultant James Carville and consumer advocate Ralph Nader, among many others.
During the first week of the Spring Semester, students participate in a one-week Pre-Departure Colloquium. This orientation week examines the processes and institutions of government to prepare students for their Washington experience.
Cultural Heritage
The American Cultural Heritage Program introduces students to the variety and wealth of cultural institutions in Washington, D.C. This program includes visits to exhibits, museums, cultural performances, and historical sites. Written papers based on these experiences are required for successful completion of this portion of the program. The Cultural Heritage Program is optional, but highly recommended.
What does the Washington Program cost?
The required fees payable to the University before departure include Kent State University tuition and lodging.
Additional costs for the Washington Program are estimated to be about $300-400 more per month than costs of attending school in Kent due to the higher cost of living in Washington, D.C.
As a regular off-campus program of the university, WPNI expenses may be met by virtually any form of scholarship, grant or loan as regular on-campus expenses would be. Check with the Office of Student Financial Aid for advice.
In addition, a limited number of scholarships are available through the WPNI itself. Contact the WPNI Director for further information about these scholarships.
Living in Washington, D.C.
Students are housed in an apartment building in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The housing is convenient to downtown Washington and to government and private offices.
Students should have ample free time to explore Washington's many, diverse neighborhoods as well as the monuments and Capitol Hill. This exploration can be one of the most rewarding aspects of living and working in Washington, D.C.
Who is eligible for the Washington Program?
The Washington Program is open primarily to junior and senior students in an accredited collegiate institution. Applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 2.75 and must have completed two courses in the U.S. political process.
Only 24 students will be selected for the program each year. Selection will be based on academic record, maturity of purpose, and promise of success.
Participants may register for the four appropriate units of study during their regular registration times.
Journalism students may perform media work for their internship requirement with permission from the director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
The WPNI Experience
In this section, you can find some helpful information about WPNI as you consider applying to the program, or for use on the program itself as you participate:
Click Syllabus to access the WPNI general program syllabus. The Cultural Heritage syllabus can also be accessed to learn about that optional 2-semester-unit part of WPNI.
Click Journal to access a sample journal done by a WPNI student.
Click Resume to access a sample resume for potential use on WPNI.
Founded in the spring of 1973, WPNI has been in existence for more than 30 years now. In that time, it is not surprising that quite a few stories, legends, anecdotes and surprising facts have accumulated. Click on WPNI History to read all about it.
Note to alums: be sure and send in your reminiscences to add to the history. Send them to the director at the link below, as a document (Word or WordPerfect) in an email attachment or snail mail on a diskette.
WPNI Video
Click on http://stream.kent.edu:8800/polysci/wpni07.wmv to see a 9-minute video that gives a bird’s eye view of the WPNI. Thanks to Dima Najjar (WPNI 2007) for production of this video.
Richard C. Robyn, Director
Washington Program in National Issues
Political Science Department
Kent State University
302 Bowman Hall
Kent, Ohio 44242
Political Science Department Office: (330) 672-2060
WPNI Office: (330) 672-8944
Fax: (330) 672-3362
Email: rrobyn@kent.edu
Website: http://www.kent.edu/polisci/ServiceLearningOpportunities/WPNI/
