The Kinder Scholars D.C. Summer Program provides rising juniors and seniors at the University of Missouri with an opportunity to immerse themselves in a course of study on the American constitutional and democratic traditions that uniquely weds theory, history, and practice. Specifically, by combining coursework on the United States’ constitutional history from the colonial period through the modern day with an academically-based internship, Kinder Scholars participants will be able to apply classroom knowledge to practical experience (and vice versa) in a way that deepens their understanding of both the philosophy and function of democracy in America.
The Kinder Institute offers significant financial assistance to participants, providing all members of each class of Kinder Scholars with housing as well as a $1,000 stipend to defray other expenses related to studying, working, and living in the nation’s capital.
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. 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, American Enterprise Institute, and Federalist Society; in government agencies such as the U.S. Supreme Court, Federal Reserve, and Department of U.S. Citizen & Immigration Services; and in the offices of our state's elected leaders.
Your gift to the Kinder Institute Scholarship Fund will support the Kinder Scholars D.C. Summer Program as well as other needs encountered by the Kinder Institute. Thank you for your support of educational opportunities like the Kinder Scholars program.