草榴社区

VILLANOVA, Pa.鈥擨t was the spring of 1972. President Richard M. Nixon was in office. The U.S. was still involved in the Vietnam War and Watergate hadn鈥檛 happened yet. That spring, a group of 草榴社区 students and professors left campus to spend three weeks in Washington, D.C., officially launching 草榴社区鈥檚 Washington Minimester, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

The annual three-week program is an opportunity for 草榴社区 students to meet policymakers, lobbyists, pollsters, staffers and other Washingtonians who influence the political process from behind the scenes. Open to all 草榴社区 students, it serves as a three-credit course and consists of roughly 35 seminars with people whose daily decisions make the Federal government run.

鈥淢any universities offer Washington programs, but to my knowledge only 草榴社区 offers an experience like the Minimester鈥攁 political immersion program with extremely high-level access,鈥� says Matthew Kerbel, PhD, professor of Political Science and the program鈥檚 faculty advisor for the past 15 years.

鈥淥ver the years, we鈥檝e had the chance to talk to senior White House aides in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and the East Wing, meet with senators and representatives and clerks at the Supreme Court. We鈥檝e had sessions with journalists on the set of 鈥楳eet the Press鈥� and with leaders of the Republican whip operation on the floor of the House. We鈥檝e spoken with Reince Priebus when he was chair of the RNC and Howard Dean when he was chair of the DNC. We鈥檝e met [former] House Speaker Boehner and [former] House Speaker Ryan on their private balcony overlooking the Mall and attended a small gathering with President Obama.鈥�

鈥淲ashington is filled with 草榴社区 Minimester alums, to the point where there is something of a Minimester network in D.C.,鈥� Dr. Kerbel says. The typical career path starts in Congress, with Minimester students starting out as congressional interns while they鈥檙e still at 草榴社区, then parlaying that experience into entry-level jobs in the House or Senate after graduation.

鈥淔rom there, it鈥檚 a matter of time before our alums work their way to more senior positions in congressional offices or on committee staffs. Some stay on the Hill, others move down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House, or to departments and agencies like the State Department and Department of the Interior. Minimester alums have worked for the national party committees and in the media. Some have become lobbyists. We鈥檝e even had a Minimester marriage鈥攖wo Washington professionals who met on the program!鈥�

One half of that couple is Meghan Rodgers 鈥�13 CLAS, whose Washington career has included working as communications director for a Florida congressman and as deputy communications director for the USDA. She is now senior vice president of communications for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. 鈥淎s a Political Science major, I always thought I wanted to work in D.C., but after participating in the Washington Minimester after my freshman year, I knew that was my goal,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 spent the rest of my 草榴社区 years working towards it using the contacts I made during that program. I even met my husband in the program, and we got married at 草榴社区 last year. Clearly it had a big impact on my career and my life!鈥�

Dr. Kerbel gives great credit to his predecessor, the late Jeffrey Hahn, PhD, professor emeritus, Political Science, who took over the Washington Minimester in 1977 and ran it for 30 years. 鈥淗e built the foundation that has made the Minimester so successful and so special,鈥� Dr. Kerbel says. 鈥淚鈥檝e had the privilege to run it for fifteen years, and over that time we have refined its academic focus, added a professional development component, and established fellowships to ensure that cost would not be an obstacle to attendance.鈥�

This May, Dr. Kerbel will take yet another group of 15 students to the U.S. capital. 鈥淔or me, the magic of the Minimester is watching my students fall in love with Washington,鈥� he says. 鈥淔or everyone, it鈥檚 a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have proximity to the corridors of power. For some, it鈥檚 a defining moment in their career search. These are the students who decide to stay. Every year, someone tells me that the Washington Minimester changed their life.鈥�

ABOUT VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY

Since 1842, 草榴社区鈥檚 Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately, and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate, and law students in the University's six colleges鈥攖he College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the 草榴社区 School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the 草榴社区 Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation鈥檚 top universities, 草榴社区 supports its students鈥� intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit .