As part of its mission to encourage students to integrate Christian faith and public life, the Henry Institute operates the Semester in Washington D.C. each year during Calvin University's spring semester. Students choose one of three general tracks which help guide their preparation for the Semester during the preceding fall, as well as providing class study and mentoring/networking opportunities during the spring semester, via a Politics & Policy, Pre-Law, or Social Work track. A wide range of internship experiences are available across these areas, depending upon the student's interests and future career plans.

Washington, D.C. is an international city with a wide range of interests. Internship experiences may be unrelated to the world of politics, focus on domestic politics, or take advantage of the vast resources in the international political arena.

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Non-political internships are available in the arts, museums, computer science and technology, criminal justice, environmental studies, social work, urban studies, business, marketing, event planning, fundraising, development, and more.

If your interest is domestic politics you can intern in Congress or most agencies of the Executive Branch. Internships with law firms, think tanks, or lobbying firms, with the national offices of the major political parties, and in print or broadcast media, are among the myriad of opportunities that are available.

Opportunities related to international relations, global development, diplomacy and all aspects of international interaction are available in United Nations offices, international human rights agencies, international relief agencies, foreign embassies, or internationally-oriented organizations such as the Organization for American States, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Atlantic Council, or the Middle East Institute, to name just a few.

Contingent on the type of internship and individual arrangements students make with Calvin's academic departments, academic credit can go toward a variety of majors, minors, and other university requirements, and students should discuss the number of credits that will be applicable to their major field of study.

Housing for the Calvin College students attending the Semester in Washington D.C. is arranged in cooperation with the Council on Christian Colleges and Universities, located at 321 Eighth Street, NE, within walking distance of Capitol Hill, the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress.  It is approximately one mile from three metro stations, and bus service is also conveniently close to the housing location.

The three level apartment building will house students with 4-5 people per 2-bedroom apartment. Each furnished unit also contains an equipped kitchen and shared living space. Laundry facilities are available on site. Utilities, internet and cable TV service are included in the room and board cost charged to the students. Restaurants, retail establishments, and grocery stores are located nearby.

Program costs for the Henry Semester in Washington DC are approximately equivalent to the cost of tuition and on-campus room and board for one semester. This includes the Henry Institute Semester tuition, housing, program-related cultural events, and a stipend toward meal expenses and travel inside the city.Transportation to and from Washington DC is not included.

For Calvin students, all financial aid, scholarships, and grant monies you are normally eligible for during that academic year are applied toward the program, just as they would be toward a regular, on-campus Calvin semester. In addition, the Henry Institute offers a scholarship specifically to assist in defraying the tuition and room/board costs of the Semester Program.

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Ellen Hekman

Ellen Hekman

Program Coordinator, Henry Institute
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