Policymaking in Harrisburg: Internships and Seminar

There’s No Substitute for Being There . . .

The Harrisburg Semester Internship and Seminar Program provides spring semester and summer internships coupled with a high-powered classroom experience in Pennsylvania’s capital for qualified undergraduate students from all Penn State campuses and from private colleges and universities in Pennsylvania. Formerly a summer only program, the outstanding record of the Harrisburg Semester has led to two important changes. First, the program will also be offered during spring semester as well as during the summer, starting spring 2012. Second, the Association of Independent College and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) recently endorsed the program, and we have entered into a collaborative partnership that enables students at AICUP institutions to participate in the Harrisburg Semester.

From Capitol Hill to major lobbying and public relations firms to non-profit organizations, Harrisburg offers a wide array of outstanding internship opportunities. By participating in this internship program, you build your resume with real life experience while working in state government, a policy advocacy association, a lobbying or public affairs firm, journalism, or a community development organization. View government and policy making first-hand, assemble portfolios of your work, meet valuable contacts who will help you in your careers, test your career choices, and hone your professional skills. 

All students are required to enroll in the Harrisburg Semester Seminar (PUBPL 490). This class meets once a week at a convenient downtown location, includes guest speakers deeply involved in state policy-making, and helps students learn about the political environment and context for decision-making in Harrisburg. Additional classroom requirements, like earning internship credits, vary depending on whether students enroll for spring semester or for the summer and whether they are PSU or AICUP student s. For students enrolling for spring semester, aside from the 3-credit PUBPL 490 requirement, there are opportunities for additional credits in terms of PUBPL 495 Internship Credit (from 1 to 9 credits) as well as taking other courses. For spring 2012, this is likely to be PUBPL 485/Seminar on Welfare Policy, which will examine social policy, broadly defined, with a focus on the state level.

For AICUP students, there will be a minimum spring semester enrollment requirement of 7 credits, which for 2012 will be fulfilled by taking PUBPL 490, PUBPL 485, and 1 credit of PUBPL 495 (internship credit). Note that students would qualify for additional internship credit should they opt for more credits.

The summer program’s minimum requirement involves enrollment in PUBPL 490 (3 credits), with the option of taking additional internship (PUBPL 495) credits. This applies to both PSU and AICUP students and reflects an effort to hold down summer tuition costs for students. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania’s budgetary problems have led to the cancellation of virtually all paid internships in the state legislature and state agencies. The opportunities for fabulous internship experiences remain—a vital aspect of your education--but most do not involve remuneration. 

Apply early—some internship sites select their interns well before the start date.

What do students say?

"I have made significant friendships, experienced landmark events . . . this summer has been a phenomenal experience. I believe that, because of the Harrisburg Semester Program, I have come light years in my understanding and esteem for the legislative process. As a research intern I performed the same job as research analysts, and through this, my eyes were opened to a completely different aspect of public policy. College courses simply cannot give the complexity of the legislative process justice. I actually saw how the legislature functions behind closed doors.”
— Nicole Stettler

"I have been able to attend press conferences, write stories, and attend many committee meetings, all of which was new territory for me. Being in Harrisburg, I have decided that I really enjoy state and local politics, and I would like to find a job reporting on local and state politics in the future.”
— Heather Hottle

For More Information, Contact the Program Coordinator:

• Dr. Carol Nechemias
  Associate Professor of Public Policy and Political Science
• Address: School of Public Affairs, 777 W. Harrisburg Pike, Penn State Harrisburg., Middletown, PA  17057-4898
• Education: B.A., Washington University (St. Louis); Ph.D., Ohio State University
• Phone: 717-948-6049
  E-mail: c4n@psu.edu
• FAX: 717-948-6320