The Washington Center to Award Scholarships to Students in Honors Programs and Colleges

The nation's largest full-time internship program, The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, and the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) has entered into a partnership during 2006 that will provide up to eighteen $2,000 scholarships for honors students in NCHC member programs.

Often referred to as “the honors internship program of Washington, D.C.,” because of its high academic standards, exceptional placement resources, and high-profile programming, The Washington Center is currently celebrating its 30 th year of operation.

”The partnership with the National Collegiate Honors Council is a natural evolution of our growth and diversity. Internships in Washington have become increasingly competitive, and The Washington Center is pleased to be able to encourage and support highly qualified students to fill the substantive internship positions that are available in the nation's capital,” says Dr. Eugene Alpert, senior vice president at The Washington Center.

The Washington Center is often the internship program of choice for students because of its reputation for breadth and depth of internship placement options. With over 15 full-time program advisors among a full-time staff of 62, there are likely to be more choice placements available in their field. Also, The Washington Center pays close attention to early deadlines for competitive placements, such as those in the U.S. Dept. of State, U.S. Dept. of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office, the White House, and CNN.

Alumni of The Washington Center include state legislators, congressional chiefs of staff and a member of Congress, the Hon. Dennis Cardoza of California.

“With close to 1500 interns a year in our program, The Washington Center is in contact with literally thousands of placement sites. We know where the best internships are, and honor society students will benefit from our incomparable resources,” says Dr. Alpert.

The National Collegiate Honors Council currently consists of over 900 members, representing a cross section of U.S. higher education. NCHC Executive Director Patricia Speelman speaks on behalf of the organization: "NCHC is pleased to offer to students at our member institutions the opportunities available through The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars. Experiential learning is one of the highlights of Honors education. NCHC members strive to open doors for students to participate in a wide variety of programmatic choices, both on campus and off. We look forward to a rewarding partnership."

During the spring, summer and fall 2006 semesters/terms, The Washington Center will award six $2,000 scholarships to students who are in an honors program or college that is a member of NCHC. The recipients of the awards will be determined by a committee composed of members of The Washington Center's Honors Academic Advisory Committee. The award will be applied to Washington Center housing costs. Washington Center housing is located in high-rise, luxury apartments in Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland area, very close to a Metro station. Amenities in these fully furnished apartments include high speed Internet, basic cable and telephone service, exercise facilities, and full kitchens.

The $2,000 award is a minimum award. Many students who apply to The Washington Center receive a higher amount available from a number of sources, such as placement, corporate grants or state funding. Over 80% of Washington Center students qualify for some form of financial assistance. Students receive the highest award available.

To qualify for a scholarship, the student must meet minimum Washington Center qualifications (second semester sophomore, two letters of recommendation, etc.); have a minimum GPA of 3.2; submit a letter of nomination from his or her honors program director or dean; submit a one page statement (about 200 words) indicating how he or she has contributed to his or her honors program in a significant way; and submit the application by the competitive placement application deadline (postmarked). Honors directors or deans may nominate up to 5 students from their program/college. Nominations are in the form of a cover letter to a student's application or a separate letter to The Washington Center. The program or college must be a member of NCHC. Selection will be based on the above criteria plus consideration of geographical diversity along the lines of the six regional honors councils.

The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars is a nonprofit, educational program that provides full-time internships and short-term academic seminars for college students. Its mission is to educate college and university students for civic leadership through experiential education activities. Founded in 1975, The Washington Center has had over 34,000 students from over 1,000 college and universities in the U.S. and abroad who have participated in its programs. Internationally recognized for its pioneering efforts in experiential education, The Washington Center is actively involved in diversifying its student body with participants from Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Since 1966, the National Collegiate Honors Council has helped students acquire an enriched undergraduate education that deserves to called "honors." Honors programs and honors colleges have evolved in public and private, two- and four-year institutions. Seeking to instill a life-long passion for learning and foster the self-confidence and creativity necessary to pioneer new ideas, these programs balance traditional courses with innovative seminars and field-based learning.

Established as a resource center and network for enhancing the educational and co-curricular lives of honor students, NCHC today is the leading national organization whose purpose is to support and promote undergraduate honors education in colleges and universities nationwide. The council encourages students to make the most of their educational opportunities. It works with faculty and institutions to improve the learning environment on their campuses. It helps to advance the professional standing and expertise of honors educators and serves as the voice for promoting undergraduate excellence to the news media and other organizations concerned with the quality of higher education.

For more information, contact:

Eugene Alpert, Ph.D., Senior Vice President
The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars
Telephone: 800-486-892

Patricia Ann Speelman, Executive Director
National Collegiate Honors Council
Telephone: (402) 472-9150
Email: nchc@ulnserve.unl.edu
Websites: http://www.nchchonors.org

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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