The Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program (WHIP) is a “study abroad” program, in which Hillsdale undergraduate students spend an entire semester in Washington, D.C. interning in serious organizations during the day, taking intensive academic classes at night, and exploring the capital’s rich history on the weekends. It is a rigorous program, but a rewarding one. WHIP gives students the opportunity to put into practice what they learn in the classroom and forms future leaders. This month, Hillsdale in D.C. asked senior and Winston Churchill Fellow Patrick McDonald about his experience on WHIP thus far.
Why were you interested in applying to WHIP in the first place?
I was initially interested in applying to WHIP because it offered me the chance to combine rigorous academic study with real-life workplace experience. Getting to spend a semester in beautiful Washington, D.C. is an immense blessing, particularly during the first year of a new, energetic presidency.
What were you nervous/apprehensive about before you got down here?
I was worried about balancing each facet of the WHIP experience—namely, school, work, and extracurricular events—in their proper proportions.
How is your internship going?
My internship with the Heritage Foundation's Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies is excellent. It is a substantive, rewarding experience steps away from the Hillsdale House; my commute is precisely three minutes. I can definitely see myself working in this field, perhaps even for this organization, down the road.
Which classes and professors are you taking and what are you currently learning in each?
I am taking three classes:
—National Security with
Dr. Azerrad, which starts with the political theory of the founding and will terminate in the national security policies of Presidents George W. Bush, Obama, and Trump.
—Contemporary American Political Thought with Dr. Azerrad, which analyzes the rise (and perhaps fall) of
liberalism in the 20th and 21st centuries. This is a particularly rewarding class to take in D.C., because the material can easily be compared and contrasted with national politics.
—Great Books: Continental Literature with
Dr. Luke Foster, which covers essential works such as
Hamlet and
Crime and Punishment.
What has been your favorite part of D.C. so far?
My favorite part of living in D.C. through Hillsdale is the immediate (and I mean immediate) access to some of the most iconic locations in the country, such as the Supreme Court, U.S. Congress, Washington Monument, National Mall, and Library of Congress.
Is there anything else you would like to highlight?
The WHIP cohort is a great way to get to meet and know people—ours is around a dozen and a half people, making it easy to get to know everyone. It is also fun to hear about everyone's own internship experiences whenever we all spend time together.
Learn about the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program.
Apply for the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program.
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