Is he in the Honors College at U of SC? If not, you’d have to find out if he’s even eligible for the DC program through them. So yes, ask that question.
In my mind, internships are the best way to ultimately land a job…sort of experience begets experience.
So working for a semester - as it sounds like he would at both PSU and U of SC - will be a help toward the future - not to mention in exposing them to new things they weren’t a part of before.
In the end, we know U of SC is cheaper and the preference seems to be for warmer weather.
Is the question here that the student prefers PSU? If so, and you can afford it, then that’s what you all have to decide.
For a poli sci degree, I don’t think the “where” matters - Penn State will always be a great name and U of SC is solid too.
Good luck.