“The Philadelphia Center was a journey to self-discovery. It was a wonderful learning experience, not only academically, but also socially and culturally. I've been recommending it to everyone.”
Veenusha Santchurn, Ohio Wesleyan University
Fall 2003
Merrill Lynch, Wealth Management Intern
Program History/Background
The Philadelphia Center was founded in 1967 by the Great Lakes Colleges Association, Inc. (GLCA), an academic consortium of 13 liberal arts colleges: Albion, Allegheny, Antioch, Denison, DePauw, Earlham, Hope, Kalamazoo, Kenyon, Oberlin, Ohio Wesleyan, Wabash, and Wooster. One of the first undergraduate liberal arts internship programs in the country, we have been open to students from all majors and disciplines since our inception.
Our first semester in the fall of 1967 had an enrollment of five students; with the success of this modest beginning, enrollment increased rapidly to 90 students by the following fall. Since then, more than 6,000 students representing 50 colleges have participated in the program.
Small changes have been made to enrich the program throughout the years, but the original philosophy and elements – field placement, coursework, and independent living – have been maintained. This three-part structure enables our students to realize their objectives, values, and abilities, especially around issues of work and career. Students’ personal life skills are also developed as they discover what it means to live independently in a large metropolitan area.
When The Philadelphia Center was founded, few people understood what “internship” and “experiential education” meant. Today, these terms are integral to the national education agenda. The Philadelphia Center is proud to have been instrumental in promoting these changes, and, after more than 40 years, it remains a leader in the field.
The Philadelphia Center is managed by Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and continues to be a recognized GLCA program.