Liaison Quick Links

This page is designed to provide some quick links within TWC's website so that you can refer to them while counseling prospective students. Let us know if there are other key items that you struggle to locate and suggest that we add here!

Washington, D.C. Internship Program

• Sample Internship Sites [1]
• Program Areas [2]
• Scholarships for U.S. Students [3]
• Sample Academic Courses [4]
• Student Blogs [5]

Washington, D.C.-London Internship Program

• Sample Internship Sites [6]
• Scholarships for U.S. Students [7]
• Academic Courses Abroad [8]
• D.C. Seminar [9]
• Blogs from Abroad [10]

Academic Seminars

• Upcoming Seminars [11]
• Faculty Resources [12]

Generating Student Interest

Banner Image: 

Colleges_8.jpg [13]

_{Distribute Promotional Materials}

At the beginning of each academic year you will receive a package of our annually updated materials. The package includes:

_Viewbook

TWC’s most engaging brochure, which features student, faculty, and alumni profiles and provides an overview of the programs.

_{Washington, D.C., Internship Program Guide}

A companion piece for the viewbook, which contains complete descriptions of program offerings, cost and financial assistance, application procedures, dates and deadlines, and more.

_Poster

For display on bulletin boards and in common areas on campus, this piece has a space for liaison contact information.

_{Tri-fold Brochure}

A tri-fold brochure to distribute widely, highlighting the many program options that TWC offers and providing them with ways to follow up for further information.

_{Intern Abroad Brochure}

Another companion piece for the viewbook, this brochure provides an overview of our offerings in London and Sydney.

_{Seminar brochures}

Promotional materials available for individual seminars offered each year.

To receive additional materials please write to info@twc.edu [14].

_{Direct Students to TWC’s Website and Request for Information Form}

TWC’s website and email newsletters are effective means for educating interested students about available programs. TWC recruiters collect student email addresses when they visit campuses by inviting students to sign up for newsletters, and students can also request information online.

_{Host Information Sessions}

Many liaisons find it helpful to hold an information session or two during each semester to introduce the program and answer questions from students. If you provide students’ contact information, TWC recruiters will be sure to follow up on their interests.

_{Engage Students Through Campus Email Newsletters}

It’s often effective to send a mass email to students and/or faculty and include the link to the prospective student section [15]of TWC’s website. The Institutional Relations staff would be happy to tailor and draft student-ready messages for you at any time.

_{Promote Relevant Programs to Student Organizations}

You can publicize The Washington Center to various student organizations such as your College Democrats/Republican chapters, student government association, honors societies, Model UN or other groups.

_{Develop a TWC Webpage and/or Link from Existing Sites}

Many liaisons also find it helpful to develop a page on their website for information on The Washington Center, or, at the least, make sure The Washington Center is represented on pages that describe internships and other off-campus opportunities. These sites allow you to direct students to institution-specific information about how the program operates at your institution, including credit arrangements/registration procedures, costs, examples of past internships, etc. Please contact us if you’d like to request photos or a copy of our logo for use on your site.

Examples from affiliates

• University of Iowa [16]
• Wake Forest University [17]
• University of New Hampshire [18]
• University of San Diego [19]

Host a TWC Recruiter

The Washington Center visits approximately 200 affiliated campuses each semester. Visits are typically made in the fall and spring. All visits can be tailored to meet your specific needs and limitations. The best way for TWC representatives to connect with students tends to be visiting classrooms and giving very brief, five-minute presentations highlighting available opportunities. Students are then invited to a campus-wide information session.

These information sessions are most successful if they are widely publicized, centrally located and provide enough time for a presentation and Q&A period (45 minutes to an hour is typically an ideal amount of time).

While on campus, representatives also enjoy meeting with any members of the faculty and staff who would like to learn more about The Washington Center’s programs. Occasionally, TWC representatives attend internship or career fairs and participate in panels or other career-orientated events. Campus liaisons are instrumental in organizing a schedule for the campus visit but TWC representatives are willing to assist in any way possible. Often, recent TWC alumni are happy to help out, as well.

Liaison Roles & Responsibilities

Liaisons with The Washington Center hold positions in a wide variety of academic departments and offices on campus. Liaisons are vital partners in TWC’s efforts to make the opportunities available to students known across campus. Some colleges or universities appoint one liaison; others divide responsibilities for the role between two or more staff or faculty members. Typically, roles are divided as follows:

Sole Liaison

At institutions that designate a single liaison, that person will approve all student applications [20] and receive all student reports, grades and portfolios. TWC will direct prospective students to this person; all liaisons receive the Liaison Newsletter and ad hoc informational emails.

_{Primary Liaison}

When multiple liaisons are designated at a given institution, the primary liaison is authorized to approve applications [20], and is the only one to whom TWC should send reports, grades and portfolios for all students. Prospective students will be directed to the primary liaison but may also be given contact information for co-liaisons. All liaisons receive the Liaison Newsletter and ad hoc informational emails.

_Co-Liaison

When an institution has two or more liaisons, the co-liaison(s) may approve applications [20] but will not receive student reports, grades or portfolios. Prospective students may receive co-liaisons’ contact information. All liaisons receive the Liaison Newsletter and ad hoc informational emails.

Liaisons are identified on the Institutional Preferences Form [21], but the role may be reassigned at any time by notifying The Washington Center. If you are assuming the liaison role, we look forward to working with you and are happy to clarify the central duties involved if you have questions.

Application Approvals

_{Washington, D.C. General Internship Programs and Intern Abroad Programs}

Liaisons are central to the application process. [22] You support and guide students and approve them for admission into the program. All prospective interns must secure the approval of their campus liaison before they will be admitted to the program. By approving applications, you are:

• Verifying that the appropriate individual(s) on your campus have reviewed the application and endorse the student’s candidacy for The Washington Center internship program.
• Certifying that the student will be receiving academic credit for the internship experience.
• Certifying that you are serving as campus liaison for the student for the duration of the program.
• Confirming that you (or the primary liaison [23]) will receive all evaluations for the student.

If students are completing a printed application, liaisons will need to sign the application to approve the student for acceptance. It’s recommended, however, that you encourage students to complete the online application. In the online version, students will enter your contact information and be advised to consult with you before completing the application. The online system will send you an email requesting your approval containing the student’s name, contact information and the term for which he or she is applying. To approve the student, simply reply to the email stating that you approve the applicant for admission. You will be automatically notified by email when your student is accepted. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, typically within two weeks.

Competitive Government Programs

The approval and acceptance process is different for students applying to our Competitive Government Programs. Students applying to only these programs are asking to be considered soley for federal agencies that provide full scholarships, and they do not wish to be considered for other internships. In most cases, students applying to these programs during the summer do not need to receive credit; we will, however, still request your approval. With few exceptions, students applying to these programs during the academic year need to receive credit.

Regardless of the term for which government program applicants apply, they are not accepted into The Washington Center until an internship offer is made and accepted by the student. In some cases, a student may not be accepted until after he or she passes a security clearance.

Academic Seminars

Students must also have liaison or sponsor approval to participate in an academic seminar. We do not require that students earn credit for participating in a seminar, but most institutions award credit for their students’ participation. You will be notified when a student is accepted.

Checking on Students’ Application Status

To check on a student’s application status, please contact:

Main D.C. Internship Programs: enrollment@twc.edu [24]

Postgraduate Professional Development Program: enrollment@twc.edu [24]

Intern Abroad Programs: internabroad@twc.edu [25]

Competitive Government Programs: federalrelations@twc.edu [26]

Seminars: seminars@twc.edu [27]

Pre-Arrival Resources for Students

Our website for accepted students provides vital information, including details on housing, emergency procedures, financial policies, documents and forms, course guides and more. You can direct students to www.twc.edu/accepted [28].

This information is password-protected; if you would like to review these materials and do not know the username and password for liaisons, please contact our staff. [29]

[29]

Internship Placement Process

The Washington Center works hard to provide internship opportunities closely tailored to students’ interests. Because internship sites often wait until a couple months before a term to determine their needs, there may be a gap between program acceptance and internship placement.

Though this process maximizes students’ opportunities and overall satisfaction with their placement, the time entailed sometimes leads to some anxiety. As a liaison, you can be very helpful by explaining the process and the timelines. There are five steps to The Washington Center’s tailored placement process. Timelines are different for each student and depend on the credentials of the student as well as the needs of the internship sites.

_{Arriving in D.C. Without An Internship}

In a small number of cases (particularly in the summer), an internship site may not be confirmed until shortly after arrival in Washington, D.C. In these cases, one or more personal interviews will usually be arranged by the time the student checks in.

_{Background Checks & Security Clearances}

On rare occasions, background checks for certain agencies may not be completed in time for students to start their internships on the first day of the semester or term. A program advisor will work closely with the student and monitor the situation on a daily basis, and he or she should keep the campus liaison informed of the situation. The Washington Center cannot be responsible for these delays, and it is up to the student and you to determine how long you are willing to wait for clearance. In the rare situations where the clearance may take more than 1 or 2 weeks, we expect students to develop an active learning plan to take advantage of the resources of Washington, D.C., while they await clearance.

Grades & Portfolios

Along with a copy of the student's portfolio, TWC’s Enrollment Services will forward* you the following evaluations and recommended grades approximately three to six weeks after the end of each term:

• Internship Site Supervisor – The Internship Site Supervisor will provide a recommended letter grade and evaluation of the student’s performance at the internship.
• Academic Course – The course professor will provide a recommended letter grade and evaluation of the student’s academic performance in his or her academic course.
• Program Advisor/Program Manager – The program advisor or manager will provide a recommended final letter grade and evaluation of the student’s performance in meeting the syllabus requirements, as evidenced by the student’s portfolio.

See the 2012-2013 schedule for mailing of grades and evaluations. [31]

_{Early Grades}

Occasionally, due to special circumstances (e.g., graduation requirements), institutions may need to ensure that grades are submitted by a specific date. Whenever possible, we are happy to accommodate such requests for early grades. Students are responsible for ensuring that the liaison completes the Internship Program Early Grade Request Form. A copy of the form is provided on the website for accepted students. Early grade requests are typically managed by emailing the three letter grades to the liaison, with the hard copy evaluations mailed at a later date.

If you or your students have questions about grades and evaluations, please contact us at enrollment@twc.edu [24].

*The Washington Center will not release grades for a student with a balance remaining on his or her account.

Financial Assistance & Billing

The Washington Center works hard to make its program affordable to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances. For some students, the cost of participation is comparable to what they pay at their home institutions. For others, the cost is higher, but still within reach and reasonable for an experience of this type in the nation's capital.

The net cost will differ for each student and in many cases can only be determined once a student accepts an internship offer. Students should look into the aid for which they might be eligible, and explore having their need recalculated for the term they plan to be with us. More than 75 percent of our U.S. students receive some form of financial assistance, not counting their campus-based aid. To find out what assistance your students might qualify for, please review the scholarship information [32] in the Internships section. You can also encourage students to fill out our Financial Aid Inquiry Form [33].

If your institution is to receive an invoice from The Washington Center for students’ program and/or housing fees, it will be sent to you as liaison or the billing contact on file shortly after the regular deadline date. Any financial assistance that your students receive from The Washington Center will be deducted from the invoice (for the program or housing fees, depending on the nature of the award). If your institution pays the invoice(s) but would like to have financial assistance provided directly to the student and not credited to the balance due, please let us know.

For questions regarding financial assistance and billing, please contact a member of Institutional Relations at info@twc.edu [14] or (800) 486-8921.