Undergraduate

First and foremost, the Kinder Scholars program is academically driven, and participants must enroll in and complete all coursework for CNST_DEM 4900: Beltway History & Politics. (Note: While student enroll under the CNST_DEM designator, the class can be applied to courses of study in History or Political Science.) Taught by Kinder Institute faculty in a seminar setting, the course is designed to engage students in an in-depth examination of the philosophical foundations and historical development of American constitutional democracy from the revolutionary-era through the present day. The seminar follows the University of Missouri’s eight-week schedule for summer courses, and students will receive three (3) credit hours for successfully completing the course.

There is also an experiential element to the seminar, in the form of field trips that enhance students’ studies by allowing them to learn about constitutional history in places where it actually unfolded. Field trips, which have taken students to Gettysburg, Harper’s Ferry, Annapolis, the Frederick Douglass home in Anacostia, the CIA, and more, occur on Friday or Saturday, and participation is mandatory.

In order to ensure that participants have an opportunity to supplement their coursework with practical experience, the Kinder Scholars program also requires students to intern Monday-Thursday (min. 25 hours per week) at an organization in D.C. whose mission relates to their study of the theory and history of American constitutional democracy, as well as their post-college career interests. D.C. provides numerous different avenues for pursuing this kind of academically-driven internship work, including on Capitol Hill, in the lobby firms on K Street, at media outlets, and in the not-for profit sector. Past Kinder Scholars have taken advantage of the multitude of opportunities in the capital by interning with NBC D.C., NPR, and Street Sense; at think tanks and non-profits including the American Federation of Teachers and Federalist Society; in scholarly editorial positions at the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project and NASA History Division; in government agencies such as the U.S. Supreme Court, Federal Reserve, and Departments of U.S. Citizen & Immigration Services, Transportation, and Defense; and in the offices of Senators and House Representatives from Missouri and beyond. Students can receive up to six (6) credit hours for the work they complete at their internships by enrolling in HIST, POL_SC, or CNST_DEM 4940.

While program faculty and staff will be happy to offer advice and assistance to students as they search for summer work, participants are ultimately responsible for arranging their own internship.

Living in the heart of historic Woodley Park, participants in the Kinder Scholars Summer Program will enjoy the perks of residing in one of D.C.’s most culturally vibrant neighborhoods and the convenience of having the entire city at their fingertips. With the Woodley Park/Adams Morgan Metro stop just two blocks from the residence, students can be in Dupont Circle, downtown Washington, D.C., or Capitol Hill within minutes of leaving home. The student intern housing complex where Kinder Scholars will spend the summer also provides tenants with a 24-hour on-site staff, an assortment of modern amenities, and a community of students and interns from around the globe.