Liberty students represented Christ around the Capitol during Washington Fellowship

Liberty University students have the prestigious opportunity to earn academic credit while living and working in Washington, D.C., through the Washington Fellowship. Over the summer, 15 students gained real-world experience and built practical knowledge in their respective fields.

“Opportunities can range from government work to the financial industry, nursing and healthcare, nonprofit organizations, engineering, business, human resources, and so much more,” said program director Tracy Janssen, who facilitates internships for students with employers and organizations in the D.C. metro area. The Washington Fellowship offers fall, spring, and summer terms.

Brittany Burmaster (’24), who completed a bachelor’s degree in strategic communication in the spring, worked in digital media marketing at the Media Research Center (MRC) during the spring term and was offered an extension through the summer due to her outstanding work.

Burmaster worked directly with the center’s social media profiles, creating reels, graphics, videos, captions, and more. She grew the center’s Instagram following by over 20,000 in four months and boosted overall audience engagement by 89% on social media accounts with over 2.3 million followers.

“The most beneficial part of the fellowship was the real-life experience,” she said. “I really learned what it’s like to work on a corporate level. Though Liberty classes are incredible, and Liberty does prepare you (for your career), nothing prepares you for actually getting integrated into a company. I walked out of the fellowship as a graduate feeling a lot more confident with this experience than I think I would have without it.”

Braeden Boerger, a sophomore studying electrical engineering and pre-law, was a legislative intern for the office of Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan. During his time in Washington, Boerger networked with a variety of individuals, opening the door for future opportunities.

“I ran into the lobbyists for ConocoPhillips and was able to discuss an internship opportunity next summer,” he said. “This experience prepared me for a career by helping me dive into the thick of being in D.C. and understanding what my future could look like.”

Boerger said he applied for the fellowship so he could be immersed in a Christian community in Washington.

“I chose the Washington Fellowship because of the benefits that come from living around fellow Liberty students and believers in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “I would highly recommend it to all students interested so that they can be out in the world as witnesses while being surrounded by fellow believers.”

Liberty provides housing for students in the heart of the city, a 10-minute walk from the Capitol, and the students often attend church and Bible studies together.

Jaedyn Bond, a senior pursuing a B.S. in Psychology: Counseling, had various opportunities during her internship with the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center to share Christ and be a light to struggling women.

“I was allowed the privilege of walking with one particular woman as she thought through what salvation would mean for her, and she ultimately decided to give her life to Christ,” Bond said.  “Countless other women shared deep stories and pain from their lives and opened up to me about things I had never experienced or thought about before, and I was able to either see their faith through those difficult situations or offer encouragement if they had yet to find faith on their own.”

The internship helped Bond realize the various opportunities in her field.

“The spiritual and professional fulfillment I experienced while working at the center is something that only confirmed my calling to work face-to-face with people in need, and through the work of the Holy Spirit, to be a witness in their lives,” she said.

Bond said the fellowship has helped grow her both professionally and personally.

“The Washington Fellowship provided tailored resources to help me with my individual career goals as well as accountability to best achieve them,” she said. “I was given the opportunity to meet with a career coach, the director of the Washington Fellowship, and various other people, all with the common goal of guiding me in my college education and professional presentation.”

Janssen said the other students in the summer term worked at congressional offices, the Capitol Research Center, Jubilee USA Network, Hudson Institute, America First Policy Institute, United Democracy Project, Washington Nationals (Major League Baseball), and Institute of World Politics. Students in the fellowship this fall are working for congressional offices, the Religious Freedom Institute, House Committee on Administration, National Center on Sexual Exploitation, Assuaged Foundation, The McKeon Group, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

“It is our goal for the Washington Fellowship program to provide students an atmosphere that encourages spiritual, personal, and professional development,” Janssen said. “Students are charged to be a living example of the love of Christ to their peers, their community, and their co-workers while interning in and around D.C. The community of Liberty alumni continues to grow in Washington, D.C, and it is a privilege to be able to network with our former students and fellows.”

Students from all academic disciplines are invited to attend Washington Fellowship information sessions in the Career Center Event Space every Wednesday from 3-4 p.m. For more details, email washington@liberty.edu.