An ideal location and strong reputation in political science were all the reasons John needed to choose Simpson College. After spending his freshman year at another college, John reassessed his goals. "I was looking for something different - someplace I could get a great education and feel at home. Simpson was the perfect match."
In his first semester on campus, John learned a great deal about the inner workings of policy and lawmaking through his coursework. He was encouraged by his faculty advisor to pursue Simpson's Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP). Soon, he was packing his bags and heading to Washington, D.C., along with two other Simpson students.
The CHIP program places college students in service organizations, business and government jobs in the nation's capital. The political science major spent five months in Washington, D.C., working for Iowa Senator Charles Grassley, chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee.
"There are many facets to the finance committee: tax, trade, fraud and investigations and health. Most of my work was under the health section, particularly Medicare and Medicaid. I also researched projects with executive privilege, meth and children's welfare and hospital research. I learned so much - things I never could have gotten just in the classroom. "
John recommends other students participate in the CHIP program. "You receive a full semester of credit and get to live in D.C. There are internships for all majors and the CHIP director is good about matching students with positions they are interested in. I never would have imagined I'd be working side by side with a senator."
When he wasn't working on Capital Hill, John spent his free time taking in the sights and sounds of the nation's capital. "I made a lot of new friends and had the time of my life. This is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to explore a new city and take on a new challenge." With a major internship under his belt, this senior looks forward to his next goal, attending graduate school.