McPherson College students interested in exploring the vital issues facing American cities have the opportunity to participate in The Chicago Center programs. Combining classroom study with action-based internships, The Chicago Center lives up to its motto: “Chicago is our classroom.” For an interterm or a semester, students receive McPherson College credit hours while they live, study and work in one of the United State’s most exciting urban environments.
The Chicago Center’s emphasis on “hands-on” experience helps students deepen their understanding of America’s economic and political structures, race and gender relations, and the role of the arts in community and social discourse. The direct link between the classroom and the internship increases student understanding of the practical work world outside the college campus. In addition to the academic coursework, the Center provides both housing and orientation training. The latter includes practical instruction in a variety of “city smart” skills ranging from basic street safety to using the city transit system.
The Chicago Center is open to students from any field of study and internships are available in a wide range of discipline areas.