Thirty Years of Excellence and Tribute to Founder Mark Anniversary Gala

On Tuesday, September 27, close to 500 alumni, sponsors, and friends of The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars gathered at The Corcoran Gallery of Art to celebrate three decades of service and to honor its long time university partners, corporate, foundation and individual supporters, and allies in the state and federal governments. Tribute was paid to William M. Burke, the organization's founder and president who passed away last year.

The Washington Center has provided over 34,000 students and recent graduates from over 1,000 colleges and universities across the U.S. and around the world, the opportunity to participate in programs designed to promote civic leadership and hands-on professional development and training. This year also marks the 15 th anniversary of The Washington Center's diversity initiative and the 10 th anniversary of its Puerto Rico programs.

Honorees included House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA) and Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. Secretary Mineta reflected on the time he served as a member of The Washington Center's Board of Directors, and spoke of providing help to those who are driven to public service. Congressman Lewis's address centered on leadership and his experiences as a young man that shaped his embrace of diversity.

Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), Republican Conference chair and chair of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Congressional Forum, received the Higher Education Leadership Award for his work with Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Congressman Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), a 1978 alumnus of The Washington Center who was elected to his seat in 2002, was presented with the Alumnus of the Year Award. The Honorable Elba Esther Gordillo, chair of Mexico 's National Education Worker's Union (SNTE), was honored with the International Leadership Award.

Among those who shared memories about the dreams and successes of Bill Burke was Andrew H. Card, Jr., who spoke as a former member and chairman of The Washington Center's Board of Directors. Card spoke of Burke's dedication to The Washington Center and of his uncanny ability to convince others to join in his efforts to develop opportunities for young professionals through experiential education, leadership training, and academic coursework. Adding to the tribute was former Congressman Thomas J. Tauke (R-IA), also former chairman of the organization's board and current executive vice president of public affairs at Verizon. “Tonight, as we celebrate three decades of The Washington Center, we inevitably celebrate the memory of the extraordinary individual who conceived it and developed it into the organization it is today. We are all in his debt,” Tauke said.

Along with Washington Center President Michael B. Smith and current Board of Directors Chairman Alan J. Blinken, Tauke unveiled a portrait of Burke that will hang permanently at The Washington Center. They presented a bouquet of roses to Sheila Burke, Bill Burke's widow and co-founder of the organization. A stirring ovation for members of the Burke family followed.

Ambassador Blinken announced that the evening's event raised over $500,000 dollars for The Washington Center. Smith heralded the evening as an “important beginning as The Washington Center embarks on its fourth decade of service as a leading experiential education institution that has become the internship partner of choice for undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates not only in the United States but from people across the globe.”

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The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars is an independent, nonprofit educational organization founded in 1975. Its mission is to prepare college and university students for civic leadership through experiential education. In this way, The Washington Center seeks to promote future leadership for the public, private and nonprofit sectors of society. It has served more than 34,000 students from over 1,000 colleges and universities.

Dates & Deadlines

Competitive deadline for Spring 2009 Semester, Winter and Spring Quarters and Postgraduate is September 29, 2008.

Early deadline range for Summer 2009 Term, Quarter and Postgraduate begins September 29, 2008.

Regular deadline for Spring 2009 Semester, Winter and Spring Quarters and Postgraduate is November 15, 2008.

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