When the class period ends, the real work begins for students in associate professor Michael Hagen’s political science experiential learning course.


In addition to completing course work designed to acquaint students with the systematic study of campaigns, each student in Hagen’s class maintains an internship with a local political organization.


“Students are usually engaged in the political process from a distance,” said Hagen. “The opportunity to work with a campaign or a political organization allows students to observe the day-to-day inner workings of campaign organizing and political planning.”


Last taught by political science professor Robin Kolodny during the 2006 election season, the course immerses students in the world of campaigning and provides a closer look at potential careers in politics.


This semester, with the presidential debate taking up much of the nation’s attention, several students worked on the McCain and Obama campaigns. In addition students interned with local congressional campaigns and other political origination.


Many students in Hagen’s class, such as Mark Fabbi, say they’ve been actively involved in politics from an early age.


“When I was in fifth grade I wrote a letter to my state senator asking him to come to my class to speak, and I’ve been involved in politics ever since, said Fabbi, who interned with State Representative Brendan Boyle’s campaign.


“I knew I was working on the Boyle campaign anyway this fall,” he said. “What better way than to earn some credits doing something I enjoy?”


Student Danielle Hunter said the opportunity to work in a political environment added to her learning experience.


“I've learned a lot here in just a month and I feel like I'm going to leave the job with the kind of knowledge you can only gain from an internship, not from a textbook,” said Hunter, who is interning for the Shorr, Johnson Magnus media firm. “I like being in this environment because everyone genuinely cares about the political process.”


In 1998, Temple political science professor Robin Kolodny launched a series of experiential learning courses in Temple’s political science department. In 2003, the American Political Science Association honored the department for their advances in experiential learning with the Rowman & Littlefield Award for Innovative Teaching in Political Science.


In each class, many of the interns receive a full-time job offer at the end of their service or assistance with finding a position in their field. Alumni from the campaign courses have gone on to work for the state for the non-profit sector, for interest groups, and for congressional representatives.