Washington semesters & D.C. internships

TheDad · 08-17-2007, 05:19 PM

There are quite a few internship programs in Washington, D.C. Many are centered on Capitol Hill but others include the Smithsonian Institution, the State Department, the World Bank, and many other NGO's.

While technically not "abroad," they're usually "away" from a student's college and D.C. is almost like a different planet.

Thread started here to discuss D.C. internships.

finalhour · 08-20-2007, 11:46 PM

has anyone participated in one of these dc internships?
i'm an entering 1st year civil engineering major and hoping to do the dc internship my 3rd year...possibly interning at either hud or department of trans.

can anyone explain what it was like

TheDad · 08-22-2007, 07:24 PM

Good question. All my experience, even second-hand, is with the House, the Senate, the White House, and the Smithosonian. But I can't believe that the federal agencies don't make use of interns as well.

Arcsoldier · 08-30-2007, 05:25 AM

FBI and CIA I know you can. But its a lot harder, especially for the CIA. Since many people apply and it needs to be done in advance.

nicesocks · 08-31-2007, 12:34 AM

You can have an internship at the Smithsonian after your freshman year.

princessbell · 09-09-2007, 06:41 PM

The Smithsonian rocks! And DC is not a "different planet", it's just like any other city, except there are more suits and there's this big white house in the middle of everything that blocks the view...

TheDad · 09-10-2007, 02:35 PM

DC breathes politics & government more than NYC breathes finance or LA breathes the entertainment industry. Imo. At least in the places you're likely to be doing internships.

Don't get me wrong, I love D.C. But I also like JFK's quote about D.C. being a place of Northern charm and Southern efficiency.

samonite16 · 09-12-2007, 08:09 PM

I interned with a major think tank in DC this past summer. The biggest thing I can say is that there is a very specific 'DC Intern culture.' In the summer, DC is FLOODED with interns, not just for the big name federal agencies, but everywhere...think tanks, lobbying firms, PACs, NGOs, etc. When you go into a bar in the summer in DC, literally 80% of the people there are interns.

If you are interested in policy, it is the place to be. Everyone is always discussing politics/policy, and there is a constant barrage of events to attend.

A few other important points. First, the vast majority of DC internships are unpaid. They can afford not to pay interns because the competition is rediculously intense. You get people with MA's, with 5 years of experience, etc, all looking to break into DC with internships.

As for all those programs like The Washington Institute, I would recommend looking elsewhere. Most of the internships they provide, you could get on your own with a little research--and without paying a $1,500 fee.

TheDad · 09-13-2007, 12:16 AM

Ditto about not paying a fee for an internship.

Also, as by implication in the preceding post, the best internships are not summer internships. D had an internship that spanned Summer & Fall...during the Summer, she cut her teeth and made a rep; by Fall, the head count went down and she knew her way around the system enough that she got what she and I both regarded as premium assignments, given the intern world.

N.B., proving that you can research quickly and write well is an invaluable skill.

N.B. #2: "quickly" means hours, not days.

SilverClover · 09-20-2007, 12:47 PM

Honestly, I haven't heard many good things about semesters in DC. A good friend is doing a semester at American University and he feels like it's elementary school politics. If you are at all knowledgeable about politics, do yourself a favor and go abroad where you might learn something and spend a summer doing an internship. If you do an internship for a semester, don't do a class at the same time.

TheDad · 09-22-2007, 12:34 AM

Well I think that's just bad advice. Perhaps it says more about American U. than it does the combined internship/class experience in general.

D took 14 units while working a 40+ hour week as an intern for nearly six months. The academic units included 8 units for writing a 75-page thesis, plus a 2-unit research course plus a 4-unit class in a related subject.

And, fwiw, summer is the least valuable time to be doing an internship. The intern count drops way down during the academic year and it's much easier to get better assignments, etc.

cheers · 09-28-2007, 03:31 PM

That's the secret of Wash DC--the staff is so young. The conversation is all about policy.

My son had a great congressional committee internship after sophomore year--and was hired at a semi-decent salary for the fall semester including bonuses at Christmas. His experience taking courses wasn't on par with the courses at his home university however. The DC professor announced that everyone who attended class would get an A.

Son loved the whole DC experience. That line item on his CV, combined with his journalism and research efforts abroad, has turned his CV into a hot ticket. He's just been hired as a part-time fundraiser intern on a major political campaign in a major city. He says it feels like Washington. The staff is under 26 years of age.

UCLAri · 12-08-2007, 06:17 AM

Any UC students can go to DC on the cheap through the UCDC center. I think Penn students are also allowed to reside there, but I don't know what they need to do to get there.

At any rate, my recommendations for DC are: apply early, often, and assertively. Don't get discouraged if Brookings and the big names turn you down, as the best thing that ever happened to me was doing a "small-time" internship with a lesser-known NGO. Not only did I develop a better relationship with the people there, I got to actually play a role in what happened there, if only for a few months.

Oh, and make sure to get a burger from the Beacon Hotel on Sundays. They're quite good.