Mentor An Intern

An exceptional opportunity is what many of our placement agencies say about being a teacher and mentor to our student.  At the same time, it is also a serious commitment to designate time in one's demanding schedule to oversee and guide a student's work during a 10 or 15-week period.

Since Washington Center interns are pre-screened by their campus liaison and a Washington Center program advisor, an agency supervisor can expect a serious student who is interested in the best possible experience while in the nation's capital. It is therefore important for an agency supervisor to carefully plan and pace the intern's learning and work experience in order to achieve their mutual goals. Each student is assigned a Washington Center program advisor who works with the student and the agency supervisor to ensure that both parties have a quality experience. 

Below is what we ask of our agency supervisors:

Intern Supervisors Should

• Provide students with substantive work projects that account for at least 80% of their time.
  
  
• Ensure that students report to work for a minimum of 32-36 hours per week, depending on the program the student is enrolled in. 
  
  
• Provide students with an orientation to the office, including a discussion of the student’s job responsibilities and training on the use of office equipment.
  
  
• Review and sign students’ final Learning Objectives Statement (LOS) by the stated due date.
  
  
• Allow flexibility in the students’ work schedule to avoid conflicts with mandatory Washington Center events.
  
  
• Notify your interns’ Washington Center Program Manager in a timely and reasonable manner if any problems arise, including the possible termination of students.

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