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Westminster College establishes the Capital Internship Program

Jim Bowen
/
Flickr

Taking advantage of its close proximity to the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City, Westminster College is launching a program for students to get an opportunity to work full time in the state government. The program will begin in the spring semester of 2013.

Westminster College’s new Capital Internship Program would have students work 20 to 40 hours per week in Jefferson City. So, other than just shadowing another government officer, students will get chances to work like real state officials.

Westminster Political Science Professor Tobias Gibson said the program would offer a rich learning environment for students to understand government processes.

“The program is really designed more for the students than for the for the college," Gibson said. "For the students, it it offers the possibility to really understand the goings on, at least for the most parts the inner workings of our state government quite frankly.”

As one of the planners, Gibson said there is no major restrictions for students. The program is open to everybody.

“The students are primarily responsible for identifying at least potential placement sites," Gibson said. "And so there are lots of students who are interested in a particular subjects or policies space. Because any major on campus is eligible, it’s certainly conceivable that biology major might be placed at the Department of Agriculture.”

Gibson believes there will be five or six students taking advantage of this program in the first semester.