Washington Center program offers students chance to work and learn in Washington, D.C.

November 6, 2006

Lyon College students interested in politics and business have an opportunity to spend a summer working in Washington, D.C., gaining valuable insight and experience while earning college credit.

Dr. Bradley Gitz, Lyon’s William Jefferson Clinton Professor of International Politics, said the college has recently teamed with the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, an educational nonprofit organization serving hundreds of colleges and universities in the U.S. and other countries by providing selected students with opportunities to work and learn in Washington, D.C. for academic credit.

The largest such program, the Washington Center, has over 35,000 alumni, many of whom are leaders in numerous professions and nations around the world.

"Since this is a relatively new program/relationship for us, we haven't had many students take part yet, but we’re hoping for more," Gitz said. "We had one who applied and was accepted last year."

Sarah Sweatt, a student still here at Lyon, ultimately chose not to accept the position because she got married.

According to the Washington Center’s Web site, the organization’s goal is to provide diverse, highly motivated interns to thousands of organizations in government, business and the non-profit sector. They contribute significantly to their placements and often prove to be of longer-term interest as prospective employees.

More broadly, the Washington Center maintains a vital role in service to society as a whole, developing the workforce of the future and encouraging all of its participants to be informed, public-spirited and civically engaged. For this reason, the Washington Center has support from an array of state and federal agencies, corporations, foundations and private donors.

Gitz said students are chosen as the result of a competitive selection process – the more impressive the record, the more likely the student will be accepted.

In some instances, because of the college’s official relationship with the program, students here would be allowed to transfer their Lyon tuition/fees to the Center for the semester they were there, covering most, if not all, of the expense, he added.

"They would remain ‘enrolled’ at Lyon during that semester," Gitz said. "But the financial aid office would have more information on precisely how much that would be in terms of costs and how exactly Lyon goes about crediting the money."

Students in the program perform the usual intern tasks, depending upon which type of agency or media outlet or non-profit they are signed up with. Some of those jobs could include covering news stories, copy editing, fact checking, writing out press releases and attending speeches and events.

Lyon students should contact Gitz if they are interested in applying to the program.

"I have plenty of literature on the program and my letter of support as liaison is required as part of the application process," he said.

For more information about the Washington Center, contact them at (800) 486-8921 or by e-mail at: info@twc.edu.