The Washington Center

About the Program

Arizona State University partners with The Washington Center in Washington, DC, to offer full-time, semester-long internships with a wide variety of organizations in the nation’s capital.  Students in any major are eligible for a Washington Center internship.  A small sample of potential internship sites includes:

* The Smithsonian Institution                 * Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

* Department of Defense                       * National Education Association

* U.S. Department of Commerce           * American Psychological Association

* C-SPAN                                               * National Park Service

* Federal Marshall’s Program                * Council of State Governments

* INTERPOL                                           * US Senate and House of Representatives

* Peace Corps                                        * U.S. Small Business Administration

* The Jane Goodall Institute                   * Leadership Africa

* Departments of Health and Human Services; Food and Drug Administration; the Interior;

ASU encourages students to participate in experiential opportunities that will enhance their overall growth and development. ASU now offers up to FULL funding of TWC program and housing fees, as well as the ASU Global Education Office fee, for Fall, Spring, and Summer internships. Please note that TWC interns must enroll in either 12 (Summer) or 15 (Fall and Spring) credits during the semester of their internship and pay ASU tuition and relevant fees.

Washington Center internships are 9 credit hours in the summer and 12 credit hours in the fall and spring.  In addition, students enroll in one academic course at The Washington Center for 3 credits. Thus, students enroll for a total of either 12 (summer) or 15 (fall and spring) credits during the semester they spend at The Washington Center.

The credits are divided between NEW 484 (for the internship) and NEW 494 (for the academic class).  These are flexible credits that can be applied to students' DARS in whatever way makes the most sense.  For instance, a fall or spring internship that involves research and extensive writing at an environmental organization might be divided into 6 Biology or Sustainability credits and 6 English credits.  If that student took the academic course on Rising China, those credits would likely transfer as Political Science credits. 

Interns spend Mondays through Thursdays at their internship sites.  On Fridays, they meet with other TWC interns in large and small groups for classes, seminars, fieldtrips, and other activities.  In addition, one evening each week they take an academic course taught by a faculty member at The Washington Center.  Courses include such topics as: 

* Rising China

* Forensic Psychology

* How Washington Engages the Arab Middle East

* Nonprofit Leadership and Management

* Scandalous Washington

* Media and the Movies            

* Campaigning for a Cause:  How Advocacy Groups Change the World

* From Ideas to Action:  The Anatomy of Entrepreneurship.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this program, you must have achieved at least second-semester sophomore standing (completed 45 credits) with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher.

Next Steps

1. Go to the Washington Center website and explore possible internship opportunities, costs, potential funding sources, and important deadlines. 

2. Complete the Interest Form.

3.  Contact Kathleen.Waldron@asu.edu at the beginning of the process for guidance.  It is recommended that you email copies of any written materials that are part of the application process to Kathleen Waldron before submitting them to The Washington Center.

4. Complete the GEO application to be eligible for the scholarship: Go to GEO application

Contact Information

For more information, contact ASU's university liaison with The Washington Center,  Kathleen Waldron

E-mail: Kathleen.Waldron@asu.edu