January 31, 2017 | By Ryan Jordan

William Grover, a professor at Saint Michael's College, has seen first-hand how the Washington Semester Program (WSP) has evolved over the past 30 years. Professor Grover attended the program in the fall of 1978, during his senior year at Moravian College where he double majored in journalism and political science. While in DC, Grover studied International Development, a concentration no longer offered by the WSP.

"I became deeply interested in the politics of foreign aid," Grover said about his experience in the WSP. "I gained a much deeper knowledge of how DC politics works, particularly in Congress, which helped me tremendously years later when I, a young professor from Saint Michael's College in Vermont, became an American Political Science Association (APSA) Congressional Fellow."

Grover has taught at Saint Michael's College for the past 30 years. His teaching focuses on the American presidency, Congress, and the political economy. Since the college became affiliated with the WSP over 25 years ago, Professor Grover has served as the faculty liaison. His college has sent many students down to DC, and not one has returned unsatisfied with their experience.

"The WSP still packs a punch for those students interested in the inner workings of American politics and international relations," said Grover. "If the WSP can continue to expand its topical offerings and continue to attract fine faculty, it should thrive into the future…"