“The CHIP semester was one of the best experiences of my life!” Amanda Yanchury ’10
Simpson’s Capitol Hill Internship (CHIP) is a life-changing opportunity for students in Political Science, Law, and International Relations.
MaKenna Dopheide ’12 interned with a local Congresswoman and worked on Sen. Richard Lugar’s campaign in her CHIP semester.
You spend a semester in Washington, D.C. and earn a semester of credit in an internship and two seminar classes. Students live in a 3-story brick brownstone just blocks from the Capitol, an on-site director helps with internship placement, and costs are similar to a semester on campus.
You work four days a week and then on Fridays take educational tours of federal agencies, historical sites/landmarks, and D.C., Virginia, or Maryland attractions. Internships are also available in summer.
Visit the CHIP semester web site
Kyle Hauswirth ’15 tours the White House and its gardens in his CHIP semester.
Simpson CHIP students have interned for:
- Australian Embassy
- American Enterprise Institute
- Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
- Smithsonian Institution
- Roll Call Magazine
- Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)
- Representative Leonard Boswell (D-IA)
- U.S. Senate Finance Committee
- U.S. Department of Justice
- Religious Freedom Center at the Newseum
- Washington National Aquarium
- The Interfaith Alliance
- Woodrow Wilson International Center
Taylor Van De Krol ’14 and Annie Fullas ’14 enjoying their time as CHIP interns on Capitol Hill.
CHIP alumni have worked in areas like:
- Correspondence, The White House
- Logistics Officer, U.S. Marine Corps
- Legislative Assistant, House of Representatives
- Operations Director, America’s Renewable Future
- Researcher, Iowa Legislative Services Agency
- The Peace Corps
- Project Manager, IBM
- Scheduler, U.S. Senate
- Legislative Assistant, Capital Edge
- Researcher, Center for Media & Democracy
- Communications, Conservation Law Foundation
- Aquarist, National Aquarium
CHIP alumni attend graduate schools like:
- Johns Hopkins University
- University of Michigan
- University of Virginia Law School
- University of Houston
- University of Iowa Law School
- Iowa State University
- American University Law School
- Loyola University Law School
- George Washington University