Scourfield McLauchlan, Incorporating Internships into Undergraduate Political Science Coursework, Page 9
(anonymous) answers ranged from “yes” to “absolutely.” One student even thought that the
internship component was “essential to this course.” They talked about the benefits of their first-
hand experience and their greater appreciation for the subject matter. Students said that it was an
enjoyable and educational experience. Below are some sample answers to the question of
whether they would recommend including an internship in future American National
Government classes:
It is definitely a unique experience and will make you want to keep getting
involved in politics.
Yes, I think it was helpful to get a better idea of what campaigns do and you get
direct experience which you can’t learn about in a classroom.
Yes. It was a great, insightful experience that I had never had the chance to do. I
believe that from here on forward I will volunteer for presidential elections every
cycle. Great learning tool for American Government and also meet a great group
of people.
Yes. It’s a great experience and you learn a lot from it.
I would recommend this because it will open doors to meeting officials and will
open doors to more opportunities.
In response to the question of whether the internship met their expectations, the overwhelming
response was that it surpassed expectations:
It surpassed my expectations. I learned so much and met so many people.
I thought it would be boring – but – the internship was one of the best things I
have done since I have been in college.
At first I thought it would be boring, because I was told it would be mainly
phonebanking – but it was great.
I thought I would have less power than I actually did, and I had more fun than I
thought I would.
Convention