Experiential Learning

A major in Political Science requires students to complete 4 credits of "experiential learning." Majors have several options available to them to meet this requirement in consultation with their Political Science Academic Advisor. This requirement may be met by participating in an internship with the D.C. semester or other off-campus or study-abroad programs. Students who are unable to study off-campus may fulfill this requirement by taking POL 397 (Campaign Management) class which is offered in the Fall semester every even year or by engaging in collaborative research with a faculty member of the Political Science Department. Additionally students may also earn "experiential learning" credits by participating in opportunities provided by local government agencies, non-governmental organizations, law firms or other organizations and businesses listed below. Students must consult with their academic advisor and solicit assistance from Sarah McCoy, Assistant Director, in the Career Development Center of Hope College. http://hope.edu/student/career/. For additional information about internships at Hope you can refer to/use the information found here: http://www.hope.edu/academic/intern/Info.htm.

New Process for registering for an Academic Internship

Recap of the New Process. There are two forms that involve faculty signatures -- a pending form and a registration form.

Permission to Register For an Academic Internship (Pending Form)
This form should be used if the student intends to earn academic credit for their internship but has not secured an employer host. By submitting this form, student status and financial aid will not be affected while securing an internship.

Academic Internship Registration Form
This form should be used if/when the student has secured an internship. This form allows the college to document employer information.

If a student has secured an employer host at the time of registration they only need to fill out the Academic Registration Form.

If a student filled out the Permission to Register Form they will need to fill out the Academic Internship Registration Form once they have secured an internship. (You will be sent an e-mail from Career Development before drop/add deadline to remind you that you need to drop their pending placement course and add the correct internship course using the Academic Internship Registration Form.)

In summary, students who do not have an internship secured at the time of registration will end up submitting two forms with the professor’s signature. Students who have an internship secured at the time of registration, only submit one form with the professor’s signature.

Location of forms - the internship registration process and forms can be accessed quickly on the Career Development's main page in our quick links section at http://hope.edu/student/career/

A list of potential organizations for local, Washington, D.C., and international internships are listed below.

Local

Acton Institute - http://www.acton.org
Allegan County - http://www.allegancounty.org
Alliance for the Great Lakes (environment) - http://www.greatlakes.org/
The Alliance to End Hunger - http://www.alliancetoendhunger.org
Amway - http://www.amway.com
Attorney General of Michigan - http://www.michigan.gov
Center for Women in Transition - http://www.aplaceforwomen.org
City of Grand Haven - http://www.grandhaven.org
City of Holland - http://www.cityofholland.com
City of Muskegon - http://www.muskegon-mi.gov
City of Spring Lake - http://www.springlaketwp.org
Congressman Bill Huizenga - http://www.huizenga.house.gov/constituentservices/internships.htm
Congressman Dave Camp - http://www.camp.house.gov/constituentservices/internships.htm
Cunningham Dalman - http://www.holland-law.com
Democratic Party in Holland - http://www.ottawadems.com
Department of Social Services - http://www.michigan.gov/dhs
Feeding America - http://www.feedingamerica.org
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum - http://www.ford.utexas.edu
GROW (Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women) - http://www.growbusiness.org
Habitat for Humanity - http://www.lakeshorehabitat.org
Hispanic Center of Western Michigan - http://www.hispanic-center.org/
Holland Chamber of Commerce - http://www.westcoastchamber.org
Holland City Mission - http://www.hollandrescue.org
Ingham County - http://www.pa.ingham.org
Kent County - http://www.accesskent.com
Lakeshore Advantage - http://www.lakeshoreadvantage.com
Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance - http://www.ethnicdiversity.org
Lakeshore Latino Outreach Center - http://www.latinooutreach.org
Lakeshore Pregnancy Center - http://www.lpcenters.com
Latin Americans United for Progress - http://laup.org
Miller Canfield - http://www.millercanfield.com
Ottawa County - http://www.miottawa.org
Ottawa County Prosecutor - http://www@miottawa.org
Outdoor Discovery Center - http://www.outdoordiscoverycenter.org
Ready for School - http://www.readyforschool.org
Republican Party in Holland - http://www.ottawagop.org
Sierra Club - http://www.Michigan.sierraclub.org
State of Michigan - http://www.michigan.gov
Stenger & Stenger, P.C. - http://www.stengerlaw.com
Varnum Law - http://www.varnumlaw.com
Warner Norcross - http://www.wnj.com
West Michigan Environmental Action Council - http://www.Wmeac.org
Western Michigan Strategic Alliance - http://www.wm-alliance.org

Washington, D.C.

The Alliance to End Hunger - http://www.alliancetoendhunger.org
Bread for the World - http://www.bread.org
Congressman Bill Huizenga - http://www.hiuzenga.house.gov
Congressman Dave Camp - http://www.Camp.house.gov
Democratic Party - http://www.democrats.org
Feeding America - http://www.feedingamerica.org
Republican Party - http://www.dcgop.com
U.S. House of Representatives - http://www.house.gov

Local offices dealing with International issues:

International Aid in Spring Lake - http://www.internationalaid.org
Women at Risk International in Grand Rapids - http://www.warinternational.org
Aqua Clara International in Holland (water issues in Kenya and Nicaragua) - http://www.aquaclara.org
American Red Cross - http://www.redcross.org
World Affairs Council of Western Michigan in Grand Rapids - http://www.worldmi.org
World Mission – http://www.worldmission.cc

International

Experience Mission - http://www.experiencemission.org
World Relief Nashville - http://www.worldreliefnashville.org