USA: Paige Murphy (Our global classroom)

This fall semester, I am participating in the Wisconsin in Washington D.C. Internship Program; thus, classes look slightly different than in previous semesters. The Wisconsin in Washington program is split into two major parts: the internship and classes. Every participant in the program has their own internship, including myself, where we spend our time on Monday-Thursday. In addition to interning, we must take classes to get credit for our time here. There are 17 students in this program, and we all take our three classes together on Tuesday night from 6:30-9:30, Friday from 9-12, and Friday from 1:30-4:30. Thus, we are taking a full semester of 12 credits, but we only meet once a week for each class. Our classes are a Congress class, a foreign relations class, and an organizations and professional development class. All three classes aim to relate and connect with our internship experience.

The dynamic of our classes is different from what I have experienced before. Instead of being in a massive school building, the program rents out rooms in a building right next to the Capitol and the Supreme Court. Furthermore, the professors come to us, and because of our small size, it is a much more personal setting. The classes are three hours long, so we have a lot of time to talk about our lives, internships, experiences, and whatever advice the professor has for us. I love this more “intimate” setting for class, as I really feel like I get to know both the students and professors on a more personal level. While I am only a month in, this semester is my favorite so far.

Paige Murphy

Hometown: Shakopee, Minnesota

Major: Political Science; Certificate in Public Policy

Program: Wisconsin in Washington