The Postgraduate Professional Development Program (PPDP) students participated in the SUMMIT Outdoor Challenge Course as part of their spring 2012 semester programming. The SUMMIT is a low ropes course consisting of 11 elements pushing every individual's physical and mental boundaries as they worked together to complete a variety of challenges.

[View the spring 2012 Programming album on our Flickr channel]

Prudential’s Washington D.C. office formally welcomed another cohort of Prudential Foundation Global Citizens scholars from India, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan on February 13, 2012. Prudential executives spoke about their experiences with the company and the partnership that Prudential Foundation has created with The Washington Center over the past three years. The students heard from:

TWC students enjoyed a special presentation by Takanori Sonoda, the Vice President of Government Relations for Honda North America. Sonoda, who joined Honda in 1977 and has extensive experience both domestically and internationally, shared some of the challenges and successes he has faced during his tenure. He spoke about:

Spring interns attended a panel on Social Responsibility and Philanthropy at The Washington Center’s Residential Academic Facility. The event featured four speakers who are experts in both nonprofit and philanthropic landscapes. The panelists discussed their efforts at a variety of well-known corporations and nonprofits.

Participants

It’s 2012. The United States has elected its first African-American president, the planet has more than 7 billion people, and the world has become more technologically advanced in the last two decades than the last 2,000 years combined. Despite all these advances, a woman on average still makes only 77 cents on the male dollar.

Jose Calzada, the Governor of the Mexican state Queretaro, visited The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (TWC) on February 27, 2012 and met with students in the Governors Program. The students presented a video showcasing the types of projects, internships, and activities that students from the Governor’s state are completing to improve their communities. Four students were selected to present their projects:

The Washington Center’s spring semester Career Boot Camp took place on February 6, 2012 at the National Housing Center in Washington, D.C. The keynote speaker was TWC Chief Operating Office, Jennifer Clinton, who offered advice on various aspects of the interview process.

Students also watched a TED Talk by author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek on "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" and were then sent off to participate in two panels of their choice. Panels included:

Christopher Cooper, the CEO and Chairman of International Investments for Prudential, welcomed the spring 2012 Prudential Global Citizens Program participants and provided professional advice.

Making the Most of Your Time

Mr. Cooper expanded on his own realizations to explain how to make the most of every work experience:

Students in The Washington Center’s International Affairs Program, attended a two-hour information session at The World Bank on February 13, 2012, that featured Angelica Silvero, the head of The World Bank Speakers Bureau. Silvero presented facts about low-income countries and discussed what The World Bank is doing to help the countries address issues such as hunger and poor health conditions. Students were able to show their knowledge of the topic by answering multiple-choice questions about countries and populations that The World Bank targets.

After meeting with the President of Brazil, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Franciso Sanchez, met with TWC students participating in the Governors and Prudential programs at TWC's Residential and Academic Facility. He discussed key topics such as competitiveness, innovation, economic growth and access.

[View photos of the event on our Flickr channel]