Internships and Simulations
Simulations are a unique George Wythe College tradition which help students prepare for real-life leadership. Simulations consist of mock congresses, moot courts, business planning, model UN and various other fictional and real scenarios where students take on roles and work individually and in teams to identify and solve problems.
Scenarios are developed from historical, current and possible future events. Simulations are held regularly*, with the interim used in research, negotiation and planning. In addition to the skills of researching, writing, communicating and working in teams, simulations help future leaders to prepare for, manage and rally during actual events.
George Wythe, himself, introduced simulations to America, and they are still widely used in law schools and in other leadership training programs. As one biographer noted:
"One of Wythe's students, John Brown of Staunton, who was later to become one of Kentucky's first two U.S. Senators, has left an account of Wythe's innovations: 'Mr. Wythe, ever attentive to the improvement of his pupils, founded two institutions for that purpose, the first in a Moot Court, held monthly or oftener….Mr. Wythe and the other professors sit as judges….He also formed us into a legislative body, consisting of about 40 members. Mr. Wythe is the Speaker to the House and takes all possible pains to instruct us in the Rule of Parliament….I take an active part in these Institutions and hope thereby to rub off [my] natural bashfulness….These exercises serve not only as best amusement after severer studies, but are very useful and attended with many important advantages."'
A major test of statesmen is the crisis situation, where time is short and decisions result in life or death, or severe consequences. A business executive may face as many as 5-10 such situations in a career, a politician 10-15, and an entrepreneur or combat military officer 20-25 or more. George Wythe College students go through 20-30 such simulated experiences before graduation, helping prepare them to handle "the real thing" with character, competence and effectiveness. Integrity, wisdom, diplomacy and courage are the lessons of this remarkable leadership training program.
George Wythe students and graduates have been called upon to put their skills to use in real situations including internships to state and national government and business organizations; lobbying and negotiating for family values at United Nations conferences in New York, Beijing, Istanbul, Rome, Geneva, etc.; doing intensive foreign language study coupled with international travel; preparing business plans for international corporations; and developing proposals for agricultural, educational, and economic development in developing nations such as Paraguay and Kenya. Indeed, the impact of student projects has been felt throughout the world.
For example, consider the report of Susan Roylance, former President of United Families International, a United Nations NGO which used GWC interns at several recent UN events:
"…the students gathered around a table and asked, 'what can we do with the Habitat [a UN document] agenda to improve it?" One of the first things they looked at was that many of the words in the documents were mandatory, that they overlooked national sovereignty and the right of a nation to choose and do what it thinks best for its own country. The students counted hundreds and hundreds of these words throughout the document, then took each of them and chose alternatives that could be offered. For example, instead of 'required,' we used 'encouraged,' etc. We prepared flyers, and six George Wythe College interns traveled to New York to the Preparation Conference. And they were wonderful and diligent lobbyists. This was not a trial run; this was for real.
"After the PrepCom two of the interns went with us onto Istanbul. And it was a miracle. There was a turning that occurred at that conference that still exists in international conferences today. One author described it as 'a paradigm shift.' Recently I was in New York at the Earth Summit II and in that document I was just amazed at the lack of mandatory words, and the generous use of 'encourage' type words which recognize and give full credence to national governments….
"That experience has been referred to as 'the miracle of Istanbul;' I refer to it as the miracle of George Wythe College."
Each undergraduate student must complete a minimum of three field-experience events in order to graduate. Practica may include substantive jobs, internships, volunteer work, travel, etc. The three field-experience events must be approved by the Graduation Committee, and each must be distinct.
*In the Distance Studies Program, students earn the simulations credit by attending a one-week on-campus simulation sometime during their four-year study (recommended during the second year). Students research and study before the simulation, attend and participate, and afterward write a major research paper on a topic related to the simulation. This is the only in-residence requirement for the undergraduate Distance Studies Program.
