Ways to Get Involved

Keep in Touch with the Political Science Department

Join us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Provide Internship Opportunities

Alumni of the political science program can provide a valuable network of diverse internship opportunities for current students. If your organization or business is interested in learning more about hosting an intern or already has available internships, please contact Associate Chair Jordan Ragusa. In addition, if you know of other internship opportunities and/or are willing to provide an introduction to your contacts, please share these with us as well.

Volunteer as a Guest Speaker

To provide students with greater insight into careers and special topics, the political science department hosts career panel discussions and alumni guest speaker presentations. Topics of past panels have focused on what careers political science majors pursue, graduate school, and Washington D.C. opportunities. If interested in volunteering as a guest speaker, please complete contact Tracey Andrews for more information.

Volunteer as a Career Mentor

Our mentorship program was relaunched in Fall 2019.  The program was designed to assist juniors and seniors prepare for a career.  No experience is necessary; commitment can be as little as a couple of hours per month.

FAQs about Mentoring

Do I have to be in Charleston to participate?

No, you can be anywhere in the world and still be a mentor.  We’re encouraging students to connect by phone, email, SKYPE, or other video/phone calling application.  If you are in or around Charleston, perhaps you’ll meet in person, but it is not required.

Do I need to be in the political field to be a mentor?

Absolutely not!  One of the best things about a political science degree is that it opens up doors to many fields.  Mentorship is more about helping our students investigate the wide range of options out there, so if you are a teacher, or a lawyer, or even an actor…there is knowledge to impart!

What is expected of me as a mentor?

We are anticipating that you will have 3-4 conversations with your mentee during the semester.  Initially we will encourage mentees to conduct a short interview. This interview will help them learn about your career and serve as a springboard for future discussions.

How long is the commitment?

The commitment is short, from September through December in the Fall semester, and/or February through April in the Spring.

How will a mentor be matched?

We will provide mentor profiles (minus contact info) to students and ask them to choose.  We will then send you an email to confirm before we pass on your contact information.

How many students can I mentor?

You can mentor as many students as you have time for, but initially we hope to have a strong list of mentors from which to choose so that each mentor will have a maximum of two mentees per semester.

 

If you want to apply to be a mentor or have additional questions about this program, please contact our Administrative Coordinator Tracey Andrews.