Governments
The Washington Center believes that successful leaders of the future are civically minded and engaged in making their societies and governments fair and equitable for all citizens. TWC has worked with state governments to facilitate student participation, the federal government to create unique opportunities for learning and service, and governments around the world to foster tomorrow’s national and diplomatic leaders.
Learn more about our work in all levels of government
U.S. State Governments [2] Governments Around the World [3]State Governments
Unparalleled Excellence
The Washington Center takes center stage in the field of experiential education in our nation’s capital. Through its programs, college students gain the experience needed to prepare for lives of professional achievement, civic engagement and leadership. Interning in Washington, D.C., encourages students to return home with the knowledge and new ideas that will enable them to improve their local communities and states overall. [5]
Unparalleled Excellence
The Washington Center takes center stage in the field of experiential education in our nation’s capital. Through its programs, college students gain the experience needed to prepare for lives of professional achievement, civic engagement and leadership. Interning in Washington, D.C., encourages students to return home with the knowledge and new ideas that will enable them to improve their local communities and states overall. [6]
Shape the Future of Your StateState governments can support their students and create the opportunities for transformational experiences that center on an internship and include a range of other academic components. State-funded scholarships play an essential role in defraying costs and encouraging students to enhance their learning and career opportunities.
Key Statistics
- The Washington Center has 35 years of leadership in experiential education and has more than 50,000 alumni in the U.S. and around the world working in government, nonprofit and for-profit sectors.
- 140 professional staff, associate faculty and resident assistants work with students.
- TWC hosts 1,600 interns in addition to 400 to 500 academic seminar participants each year. Students have come from all 50 states and 35 countries.
- TWC maintains partnerships with more than a thousand internship sites each year.
- Three out of four students receive some sort of financial assistance.
The Washington Center Stands Apart
The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars is the largest, independent, nonprofit experiential education organizations in the United States. It offers an integrated academic and work experience in preparing university and college students and professionals for lives of achievement and civic engagement.
For 35 years, The Washington Center has helped more than 44,000 motivated college students connect with companies, organizations, congressional offices and federal agencies that exemplify the values of leadership and community service.
Students at The Washington Center come from a wide variety of social backgrounds, academic institutions, and geographic locations. They represent some of the best and brightest young minds in both public and private institutions in the U.S. and around the world. Students must be enrolled in an accredited college or university and be sophomores, juniors or seniors, or be recent graduates or graduate students. The average GPA of TWC’s students is 3.3; applicants must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 to be considered.
The Student Experience in Brief
At The Washington Center, students live, work and study in our nation’s capital or in other countries. The internship program is more than a place to work, it is a well-rounded learning experience that develops practical skills, hones students’ interests, and opens young minds to a world of diversity and opportunity. TWC’s program is comprised of the student’s work, a rigorous academic course, and the Leadership Forum.
The Internship
- Students work in their internship for 32 to 36 hours each week.
- Interns are placed across all sectors including private companies, government agencies or Congressional offices, nonprofits, and international organizations.
- Interns spend at least 80% of the time on substantive, non-clerical work.
Academic Coursework
- Students are enrolled in programs suited to their majors and professional interests. All majors are welcome at TWC.
- Everyone participates in one of 35 academic courses.
- Each course is designed to be worthy of academic credit; professors are experienced academics or experts in their fields.
The Leadership Forum
- Students take part in special programming each Monday that enhances their internship experience and academic studies. Included are the Alan K. Simpson - Norman Y. Mineta Leaders Series and a variety of other events, workshops, interviews, seminars and insiders’ tours of Washington institutions.
- Students participate in the Public Policy Dialogues on Capitol Hill, which allows them to interact with Capitol Hill policymakers, including Members of Congress and/or their staffs in small intimate meetings where they gain an in-depth, firsthand perspective of Congress, policy and politics.
- Students will work on a civic engagement project and complete a portfolio that outlines their work in D.C.
Beyond the academic programming and work experience, students gain invaluable life experience living in Washington, D.C. Housing is provided in conveniently located, fully furnished apartment units in secured-access buildings.
Internships in Washington Improve Local Communities
Today’s university and college students are tomorrow’s professionals, academics and leaders. The Washington Center helps broaden the horizon of its students, many of whom are traveling out of state for the first time in their lives, and instills the confidence, skills and sense of purpose they need to thrive academically, professionally and civically.
After completing the program, TWC’s alumni return to their communities to step into professional careers and leadership roles. While an internship is an opportunity for students to gain institutional knowledge in real-life environments, it is also an opportunity for local communities to gain a well-prepared, educated workforce.
States Benefit From Students' Internships
Students say The Washington Center changes their lives. This internship program opens doors to long and successful careers. It sparks fresh ideas, creative thinking, and a passion for the people and communities students call home. Individual students gain much from their internships, but the benefits for states and local communities are extensive as well.
Workforce Training for 21st Century Professionals
States must continue to explore all available avenues to ensure its university and college student body are ready for professional positions in this 21st century economy, including careers in science and technology. The Washington Center continues to be an ideal fit not only for students majoring in political science, communications and business, but also majoring in environmental sciences, engineering, physics, biology, and other science and math-based majors.
Reversing the “Brain Drain"
Ninety percent of TWC alumni live outside the Washington, D.C., area. Students come to Washington and learn about policy and business. They gain insight into the professional working world, and become equipped with the confidence, skills and sense of purpose that leads them back to their home states ready to assume leadership roles and professional opportunities.
Obtaining Jobs
TWC’s program helps university and college students become more educated, better prepared and more civically-minded. In many cases, an internship leads to a student’s first professional position in the private, nonprofit or government sectors, spurring local economies and building a generation of new leaders connected with their communities.
Supporting Students
State and local governments have an opportunity to support their students financially, opening doors and strengthening the future growth of their local communities. The Washington Center works with elected leaders of a state, its agencies and universities to launch State Relations Initiatives, which are scholarship programs for university and college students to attend TWC at a price comparable to a semester at their home institutions. One hundred percent of state-provided funding is directed to students attending colleges and universities in that state.
State-funded scholarships defray a portion of the costs associated with The Washington Center’s program. The cost of the program includes a program fee and a housing fee. Additionally, students must plan for expenses associated with living and working in Washington, D.C., such as meals, transportation and incidentals.
For more information on state funding:
The Role of State Funds [15] Structuring State Scholarship Programs [16]
The Role of State Funds
The Washington Center’s goal is for students to attend its programs at a cost comparable to what the student would pay for a semester at their home institution. State scholarships play an integral role in this process, especially with public university and college students.
TWC’s staff works diligently with each student to understand the funding criteria and scholarships available to them. The first opportunity is for state colleges and universities to waive tuition for the semester or forward students’ tuition (less administrative fees) to The Washington Center. When state institutions allow for these kinds of tuition arrangements, students are freed from an additional financial burden of studying in Washington.
State Relations Initiatives play a critical role in students’ ability to enroll in The Washington Center’s unique program. State scholarships provide for program fees to help make the experience much more affordable, creating more opportunities for students who may struggle to pay for their education.
Structuring State Scholarship Programs
The Washington Center works with governors, state legislators, state agency officials and universities to launch State Relations Initiatives. These initiatives solidify a partnership between TWC and a state for the benefit of a state’s university and college students.
Under this type of initiative:
- One hundred percent of the funding will go directly to students as academic scholarships.
- States will establish a structure of the partnership including school eligibility, scholarship amounts, and residency requirements.
- States can limit scholarships to public institutions only or provide scholarship to both public and private institutions.
- States can set one scholarship amount for all students or provide differing levels for public and private institutions. Individual scholarships tend to range from $3,000 to $6,000 per student.
- States can impose a residency requirement for scholarship eligibility or maintain open eligibility for all students attending its universities and colleges.
- Over the last 15 years, 23 states have funded scholarships for university and college students, many from economically disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds.
International Governments
The Washington Center is a large and influential organization in the field of experiential education. TWC works closely with governments of countries around the world to prepare students and professionals to become active and engaged leaders in their societies.
Participants sponsored by our international partners usually return to their own country and start immediately contributing to the public, private and nonprofit sectors. These relationships are formed at national, state and provincial levels.
Over the last decade, TWC has built special relationships with a number of countries and local provinces. Each relationship is built around the unique needs and opportunities for the people in that country.
Canada
Over 500 students from four provinces, Alberta, Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick have received provincial funding to attend our programs since 1996. Funding comes from either the provincial government or through the students’ universities. TWC is currently working with two additional provinces to offer scholarship opportunities to more Canadian students.
Mexico
More than 1,000 students and young professionals from most of the Mexican states have attended the Governors Internship Program [21]. This program is designed to provide future leaders from across the country professional and academic training in areas related to the economic and social development of their communities. Participants develop a project that impacts and improves the well-being of their regions, by attracting investment or by representing a product or an industry. These projects are presented to the state governor upon the participants’ return to Mexico.
Further examples of TWC’s work with Mexico can be found here [22].
South Korea
In 2004 and 2005, TWC received government support from South Korea’s Human Resources Development Service, under the Ministry Of Labor, which sponsored over 120 students to attend TWC’s programs. These students and young professionals returned to South Korea to finish their university degrees and afterwards entered the workforce. Many of them are now working for the government, public and the private sectors in South Korea.
Kazakhstan
In late 2009, TWC organized a seven-day study tour of the American health care system for a delegation of high-level politicians and health care officials from Kazakhstan. The seminar was financially supported by the World Bank. The goal of the study tour was to provide a summary of the organization and financing of the American health care system. Participants visited federal offices including the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), and the National Institute of Health (NIH). They also traveled to Minnesota to visit the Mayo Clinic, Medtronic Inc. and had a private meeting with the Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota Carol Molnau.
The Washington Center Stands Apart
Founded more than 35 years ago, The Washington Center has distinguished its experiential education programs and seminars by instilling in our participants the three pillars upon which our institution was founded: civic engagement, professional development and leadership. These principles are incorporated in the pursuit of excellence in public service combined with academic and professional exposure and meaningful civic discourse.
The Washington Center is a unique and valuable partner for foreign governments, offering a rare opportunity for those governments to extend their reach into the capital of the United States of America. Participants come to understand how Washington works from the inside, learning directly from public policy makers, governors, members of Congress and leaders of the private, nongovernmental sector. Governments partner with TWC to train future leaders and to improve current leaders’ skills and understanding in areas of public service, best business practices and public policy design and reform.
TWC’s leadership in experiential education derives from its extensive network of alumni, affiliated colleges and universities, and partnerships with private, public and nonprofit organizations. This extraordinary learning opportunity has an impact on people across all sectors and levels of experience:
- Civic, educational, and business professionals are enabled to help shape and influence the next generation of leaders.
- Colleges and universities can extend their reach beyond their core programs and geography.
- Professional organizations can connect with a new generation of talent.
- Students have the chance to transform their careers and lives through a unique experience.
- Alumni are able to collaborate with our various partners to help change the world.
Key Facts About The Washington Center
Since 1975, The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars has been providing an integrated academic and work experience to prepare college students and professionals for lives of achievement and civic engagement. It is the largest and most influential organization of this kind.
- The Washington Center began developing partnerships with the international governmental sector in 1999, starting with the State of Tabasco in Mexico. Since then more than 1,000 students and young professionals have participated in our programs sponsored by a government agency around the world.
- Last year, The Washington Center hosted more than 2,000 students from hundreds of affiliated colleges and universities in the U.S. and other countries.
- The Washington Center has 70 full-time staff working to ensure that all our students have a transformational experience while here.
- TWC boasts more than 50,000 alumni, many of whom are in leadership positions in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in the United States and around the world.
- In 2009, 45 students from Canada participated in The Washington Center’s internship and seminar programs, including students from Alberta, Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick. The majority of these students received financial assistance from their provincial governments.
- In 2009, approximately 100 students from Mexico participated in The Washington Center’s Governors Internship Program. The participation of all these students was made possible with funding from their respective state governors and Mexico’s Association of Ministers of Economic Development.
- In 2004 and 2005 TWC received government support from Korea’s Human Resources Development Service, under the Ministry Of Labor. Over 120 students were sponsored to attend TWC programs at that time.
- In the last 10 years, TWC has conducted over 50 theme-specific seminars for over 1,000 government officials and professionals from around the world.
Working with The Washington Center
The Washington Center offers several opportunities for governments to invest in their students, professionals and societies. Participants in these programs not only learn the way Washington, D.C., works from the inside, they also have the opportunity to interact with key decision makers in their individual fields of interest.
Internships
Undergraduate and graduate students can take part in a semester-long internship in Washington, D.C. The program is a rigorous blend of academics and work experience, and students may receive academic credit from their home institutions. The Washington Center establishes relationships with colleges and universities around the world to facilitate students’ participation in the program.
Academic Seminars
Each year, TWC hosts several academic seminars revolving around the inner workings of Washington or major issues being discussed on the world stage. Custom programming is also available for groups from around the world. TWC has conducted over 50 theme-specific seminars for over 1,000 government officials and professionals in the past 10 years. Past seminars have included topics such as health care reform, telecommunications, education system reform, how Washington, D.C., works, best business practices, and public policy in Washington D.C. All this was done in partnership with our international Government partners.
Customized Training Opportunities
Over the last several years TWC organized leadership training programs and sector-specific seminars for participants from more than 10 countries. Thirty-five years of experience managing long-term programs and short-term seminars has made TWC the ideal partner for academic and experiential learning programs.
TWC tailors its services and arrangements to fit the specific needs and ideas of each country. Please contact us to discuss what your interests and needs are. Together, we will design a tailored proposal that is right for you. To learn more, contact internationalinfo@twc.edu [24].
Case Study: Mexico
- Welcoming Mexican students come to Washington, D.C., for the regular internship programs.
- Offering Mexican Government funding for participants in the Governors Internship Program.
- Organizing special seminars and agendas.
Mexican Universities
The Washington Center has strong relationships with the most prestigious privates and public universities in Mexico. More than 1,000 young professionals that have come to TWC’s programs have found exceptional jobs after they returned to Mexico. Affiliates include:
- Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, commonly known as Tecnológico de Monterrey
- Universidad de las Américas, Puebla
- Universidad del Mayab, Mérida
- Universidad Iberoamericana, Puebla
- Universidad Anahuac, North Campus
- Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City
Most students attending our programs from these universities receive academic credits for their semester in Washington, D.C.
“My experience in Washington, D.C., has contributed to the better development of my leadership skills. I am a Mexican citizen, but above all, I am a citizen of the world, and as such, it is my responsibility to get involved and adopt an active role within the international community. I am sure that I will be able to take advantage of these skills when I come back to my country, and hence contribute to its better development, and to the project of a better world for the enjoyment of future generations.”
Georgina de la Fuente
TWC Spring ’08
Montererrey Tec
Governors Internship Program
For more than 10 years, the Governors Program [25] has been preparing future leaders from Mexico to face the complex challenges of the twenty-first century. Currently, many Mexican governors provide full funding to students and young professionals competitively selected by each state government.
These participants come to The Washington Center to obtain professional and academic training in areas related to the economic and social development of their state and their communities. The program combines a four day per week internship with a full day of activities allowing participants to enrich their knowledge and gain cultural and social experiences. During the semester, participants develop a project that impacts and improves the well-being of their regions by attracting investment or by representing a product or an industry. When they complete the program and return to Mexico, projects are presented to their state governor.
To date, most of Mexico’s state governments have supported the program. Examples of participating states are Coahuila, Sonora, Campeche, Veracruz, Hidalgo, Morelos, Tamaulipas, Yucatán, Jalisco, Michoacán, Quintana Roo, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato and Nuevo León.
“I consider myself very lucky to be part of this experience; Now I will have the chance to apply what I learned here, back in the public service in Coahuila. I’m positive that this experience will help me to become a better servant to the people and to climb high in my political career but also to contribute to the government projects and benefit society as a whole.”
Julio Cesar Torres
TWC Fall ’09
Gobierno del Estado de Coahuila
Academic Seminars
After more than 10 years of working with Mexican public servants from all three levels of government (federal, state and municipal), The Washington Center has solid experience training Mexican professional politicians through customized seminars. TWC provides three-day seminars on many issues.
