Doing a Capitol job
The Washington Fellowship offers semester-long internships in Washington, D.C.
CAPITOL — Washington Fellowship intern Lisa Benjamin visited historic D.C. landmarks. Photo Provided
Internships for college students have evolved from a choice to a requirement for most majors and job opportunities — decreasing the internship opportunities available to students while increasing the competition to be placed in an internship.
However, to overcome the added stress of finding a well-suited internship, the Washington Fellowship assists Liberty University students in finding their desired internship position.
The Washington Fellowship is a Liberty-run organization focused on placing students in the heart of Washington D.C. for semester-long internships.
Mark Hager, placement program coordinator of the Washington Fellowship, places the majority of Liberty students in Capitol Hill, the largest historical district in D.C. This location was chosen for its safety and accessibility to the city.
The program boasts a 100 percent placement rate, meaning that it has never failed to place a student in an internship.
Hager explained that every semester, some students even get offered full-time positions after their internships.
Offered during the fall, spring and summer semesters, the Washington Fellowship is available year-round, and they can also take classes during their time in D.C.
The internships are credited — consisting of six credit hours for the semester — which allows students the ability to complete up to 12 extra credit hours of online classes.
During the fall and spring semesters, the internship is built into the cost of tuition, fees, and room and board, so students already planning to live on-campus are not double-charged for remaining a student and taking classes while completing the program.
“(Participating in the Washington Fellowship) is just like completing financial check in,” Hager said.
“Financial aid and scholarships still apply.”
With Liberty students placed in Fox News, the White House, International Christian Concern, C-Span, Washington International Trade Organization, the Embassy of Israel and many more, the Washington Fellowship has sent a diverse group of students to top organizations.
Hager said the program has connections with a “vast pool” of several hundred organizations in the area.
“It’s an experience and opportunity to get your hands dirty and see what it is like to work full-time in an organization that you’re interested in working for,” Hager said. “It’s a great place to jumpstart your career.”
Hager visits D.C. about every month to make sure everyone is having a positive experience and to build new connections for future students.
“I think it’s really cool when a student gets to work in an environment that is not as lateral in terms of their beliefs,” Hager said. “It challenges and pushes them.”
As the need for internships has lured many students from around the world to D.C., Hager claims that the Washington Fellowship has risen above the competition to ensure Liberty students have the best internship placements.
“There are tons of universities that have similar programs, and some for-profit companies that do what we do, but the competition is still minimal for us,” Hager said. “It doesn’t really affect us that much.”
According to Hager, Liberty’s strategy is to be “as unconventional and innovative as possible.”
For more information on the Washington Fellowship, visit the Liberty Career Center’s website or office on the first floor of DeMoss Hall.
RICE is a feature reporter.