Washington Semester offers students unforgettable learning experience

Each day this semester, Kaylee Miller ’25 walked past the iconic columns of the Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., a sight that has been the backdrop for some of the biggest moments in U.S. history as the court justices arrived at rulings that would help shape the path of the nation. 

“I honestly still can’t believe it,” said Miller, a triple major in history, political science and art history. “I’m just in awe of the building. I felt so lucky. I got to walk in there every day and report for work.” 
 
Miller was one of nine Roanoke College students living and working in D.C. this fall as part of the unique Washington Semester initiative. She was also one of two in the program, along with Madelynn Sprouse ’25, who were tapped for highly competitive spots within the Supreme Court Curator’s Office. 
 
Their internships brought them into the halls of the high court to work with archivists and historians who are dedicated to preserving the court’s history and sharing it with the public. Opportunities included assisting in research, delivering public Courtroom Lectures and even observing arguments presented to the court. 
 
“The chance to interact with the institution of the Supreme Court every day was really inspiring,” said Sprouse, who has her sights set on law school. “I was able to hear some incredible attorneys speak. Even on the visitor tours, we got to take them into the courtroom, sit down and explain to them how the court works. We’d go into more detail about the building and what you see on the walls and what it all symbolizes in a place that represents the rule of law in our country.” 
 
Roanoke’s partnership with the Lutheran College Washington Semester program allows students to live full-time in the capital while continuing their classes and doing internships with government agencies, museums, think tanks, nonprofits and more. 
 
It is a singular opportunity to dive into a new city and new experiences while learning firsthand from people who are leaders in their field. 

Photos, clockwise from left: Kaylee Miller ’25 outside the historic Supreme Court Building. Miller and Madelynn Sprouse ’25 together in D.C. The words that greet all who enter the Supreme Court Building and that encapsulate the high court's mission.  

In the Supreme Court Curator’s Office, Miller — who plans to pursue a graduate degree in history with hopes of going into museum work — found a perfect blend of her interests in history, government and antiquities. She was given opportunities to do research in the National Portrait Gallery archives, see the creation of a new exhibit and be mentored by experienced staffers, whom she described as the best people she could have asked to work for. 
 
“Everything molded together so perfectly, and I absolutely adored what I was doing,” she said. “I really believe history should be accessible to anyone. Whenever I hear a kid say that history is their least favorite subject because it’s not interesting, I just think, but that’s not true at all. It’s cool, and I'd love to be part of creating programs that help people enjoy it and see that it’s cool.” 
 
Smith and Sprouse were both encouraged to look into the Supreme Court program by Professor Todd Peppers, Roanoke’s Washington Semester coordinator and an expert on the court who has penned numerous works on its history. Peppers is currently working on a biography of Chief Justice Warren Burger. 
 
Sprouse said she had never considered doing a study away program until then. Coming into her freshman year at Roanoke, she had challenged herself to buckle down and graduate early, a goal she thought would be derailed by a semester away. But Washington Semester is structured to help students continue a full course load while interning, making it possible for her to get the Supreme Court experience without missing a step in her academic goals. 
 
“When I applied to college, I never thought I would be able to do something like this,” she said. “I really appreciated that Roanoke had a program available that could keep me on track and give me the resources I needed.” 
 
Being in D.C. brought her closer to the legal world and helped her hone her abilities to address an audience and hold its attention. In the Supreme Court Building’s museum, she would pass portraits of prior justices — O’Connor, Ginsburg, Scalia — who had once trod the same ground. 

“I think that was probably my favorite space in the museum,” Sprouse said. “This whole semester has been really interesting. It was a great experience.” 

WASHINGTON SEMESTER 2023

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This fall, nine Maroons, pictured above on a trip together to George Washington's Mount Vernon, took part in the Washington Semester program. The cohort included:

• Archie Jacinto ’25, a political science and criminal justice double major, who interned with Congressman Morgan Griffith's office (Read more about Jacinto's Washington Semester);
• Autumn Rosas ’24, a criminal justice major with a sociology minor, who interned with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation;
• Cameron McDonald ’24, an international relations major with French and Spanish minors, who interned with Lutheran Services in America (Read more about McDonald's Washington Semester);
• Camille Carter ’24, a history major, who interned with the Scottish Rite Temple;
• Eleanor Hinckley ’25, an international relations major with a Spanish minor, who interned with the Religious Freedom Institute (Read more about Hinckley's Washington Semester);
• John Davidick ’24, a business administration major with a Spanish minor, who interned with Daybooks Consulting LLC;
• Kaylee Miller' 25, a history, political science and art history triple major, who interned with the Supreme Court Office of the Curator;
  
• Lilly Hussein ’25, a political science major, who interned with the Normandy Group (Read more about Hussein's Washington Semester);
• Madelynn Sprouse '25, a literary studies major with a legal studies concentration, who interned with the Supreme Court Office of the Curator.