The John Glenn School of Public Affairs | Washington Academic Internship Program

The John Glenn School of Public Affairs offers an exciting opportunity for Ohio State students to study and work in the nation's capital. The Washington Academic Internship Program selects outstanding undergraduates from any major to spend a quarter in Washington, D.C., as John Glenn Fellows. Students work in field placements that reflect their particular areas of academic interest.

While in Washington, John Glenn Fellows remain fully registered Ohio State students. Students earn academic credit hours for their internship, the research seminar in which a policy paper is developed, and a course on policymaking and public service in the Washington community.

Participants in the program meet policy professionals and interact with Ohio State alumni in the region. This interaction has value far beyond the quarter in which the students are involved in the program. Real opportunities are presented for career advice, professional development, and cross-generational exchange.

Applications: Applications are due by Oct. 19, 2009 for the winter 2010 fellowships and both spring and summer 2010 applications are due by Feb.1, 2010.

+ Click here to apply online

+ Download a fact sheet about the program

Internships

Internship opportunities abound in our nation’s capital. From legislative internships on Capitol Hill to positions with think tanks and advocacy groups, there is truly something for everyone. You don’t have to be interested in government work to land a great internship in Washington, DC. Our staff is here to assist with placement, but students are strongly encouraged to do background research on their own. What’s great about the Washington Academic Internship Program is that we don’t have a pre-arranged set of internships that use each quarter. Rather, we work hard to match students with internships sites that are aligned with their respective policy and career interests.

While there are near-limitless internship possibilities in Washington, feel free to use the following examples of past internships to help get you started with your search-process:

Media Organizations

A successful democracy depends on a well-informed citizenry. In the age of digital media, there are more outlets for communication than ever before. Washington, DC is home to numerous national and international media organizations, and many of have great opportunities for interns. Recent sites include:

TIME magazine
C-SPAN
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
OneWorld US

Think Tanks

Is policy research of interest to you? Do you spend your days dreaming up ways to solve the world’s problems? If so, a position with a think tank could be a great experience for you. These internships allow students to delve deep into research about relevant domestic and international policy questions. Who knows, someday your research might play a role in influencing a key decision. Recent sites include:

The Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Project on Government Oversight
The Center for American Progress
The Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress
The International Republican Institute

Nonprofit Organizations

Some of best examples of public service can be seen through the work done by nonprofit organizations. Washington, DC is home to numerous nonprofit groups, each with a distinct mission or purpose. Recent sites include:

CentroNia
The Council for Court Excellence
The American Planning Association
The Smithsonian Museum of American History
The American Council for International Education-Office of Russian and Eurasian Outbound

+ Click here to download a list of internship examples

+ Download a fact sheet about the program

Capitol Hill

Students with Capitol Hill internships work in the Washington offices of U.S. Senators and Representatives, performing a variety of activities. All of the Ohio Congressional offices are possibilities, although preference is given to constituents of the legislator’s home district. Students have also secured internships with Senators and Representatives from other states over the years. Recent sites include:

Office of Congressman John Boehner, Ohio's 8th destrict
Office of Congressman Steve Driehaus, Ohio's 1st district
Office of Senator Sherrod Brown, Ohio
Office of Senator George Voinovich, Ohio
Office of Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, California's 6th district

Government

If you have a strong interest in government and want to see policy in action, an internship with a federal agency or other national office might be a great fit. It is important to note that internships with many federal departments require extensive background checks, some in the range of 3-6 months. If you have an interest on one of these positions, you will need to begin your search process very early. Recent sites include:

U.S. Supreme Court- Office of the Curator
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Department of Agriculture- Foreign Agriculture Service
U.S. Department of Education
Washington office of Governor Ted Strickland

Advocacy Groups

Do you have a passion for a particular cause or group? If so, you might want to consider interning with a nonprofit advocacy group. If you can dream up a cause, chances are there’s an advocacy group dedicated to it in Washington. Internships at these types of organizations allow you to put your passion into action. Recent sites include:

The Alliance for Justice
The Trans-Africa Forum
The American Cancer Society
The Human Rights Campaign
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Government Relations Firms

Private firms can be very involved in the policy process, often through lobbying or other forms of government relations. Many of these firms are located in Washington, and they are always looking for new interns. Recent sites include:

Kinghorn, Hilbert and Associates LLC
Hill & Knowlton
The Carmen Group
Navigators Global LLC

How to apply

Prior to completing the online application, it is recommended you set up a meeting with Chris Adams (adams.615@osu.edu) in order to review materials, ask questions, and ensure that your application is of the highest quality.

Included in the online application, applicants will need to submit the following documents:

A current resume. Among the information to be provided: academic awards, honors, or fellowships received, employment history, examples of public service, extracurricular activities, language and computer skills, etc.
A personal statement. Indicate (in two pages, double-spaced): your reasons for wanting to participate in the program and your interest in public service, and how the program and your possible internship placement serve both your academic and professional goals.
A writing sample that demonstrates your analytical ability and shows your writing skills to best advantage. The sample should be pertinent to your area of general policy interest and should be no more than five pages (typed, double-spaced). If the sample is drawn from a larger paper, give the context of the excerpt.

Applicants will need to request the following documents:

Recommendation letters from two sources. At least one should be from a faculty member, instructor, or teaching assistant who can evaluate your academic preparation. Letters should be on letterhead when possible, signed, and addressed to the Selection Committee, Washington Academic Internship Program. If a written letter of recommendation is not obtainable, then an email from the recommender will be accepted.

The above documents can be sent directly to the selection committee or they may be submitted in sealed, signed envelopes with the other application materials.

All application materials should be submitted to:

The Selection Committee
Washington Academic Internship Program
110 Page Hall
1810 College Road
Columbus, OH 43210

For more information, please contact the on-campus Program Coordinator, Chris Adams, at (614) 247-2512 or Adams.615@osu.edu.

After the submission of your application, we will contact you in order to set up a mandatory informational interview with Chris Adams. Please come prepared to discuss your policy and internship interests, as well as your goals for the program.

+ Click here to apply online

Internship preparation

Each student works closely with our program staff to identify and secure an internship that is related to his or her academic preparation and career goals. Students are encouraged to follow the steps below to identify and apply for an internship. This process can take place at the same time as you are completing the program application.

Step 1: Explore possible internship sites

Your internship should reflect your upper-division coursework and extra-curricular involvement. Our program is designed to allow you to apply what you have learned on campus to a substantive field placement in Washington.

Review a list of past internship placements. While this is not an exhaustive list of all possible internship placements in the Washington area, it is a good starting place as you begin to think about your internship options.
Talk with your faculty, tell them about your interests, and ask them to suggest several organizations that might fit with your preparation and interests.
Look into possible internships on your own using the Internet.

Step 2: Schedule an appointment with the On-campus Program Coordinator to discuss possible internship sites

Once you have completed these steps and compiled a short list of internship sites, you should contact the on-campus program coordinator, Chris Adams, at adams.615@osu.edu to schedule an appointment for assistance in prioritizing your list of potential placements.

Step 3: Contact potential internship sites

Once you have identified a short list of potential internship sites, you should look specifically for any information regarding undergraduate opportunities . You are encouraged strongly to make an initial inquiry to the potential internship sites and gather complete contact information for the internship coordinator (name, title, e-mail address, phone number, and mailing address). This is usually done via e-mail and directed to the named internship coordinator for the organization or another appropriate address.

When you make your initial contact to a potential internship site, it is important that you accurately portray our program to the internship coordinator or human resources professional. Please be sure to include all of the following points in your cover letter. NOTE: Your cover letter should be in the body of the e-mail you send to a potential internship site, with your resume as an attachment only.

Convey that you are in the process of applying to Ohio State’s Washington Academic Internship Program which is sponsored by the John Glenn School of Public Affairs.
Indicate the academic quarter and specific days and dates that you would be available to complete your internship. Our program operates on the OSU calendar, so your first day of your internship would be the second day of the quarter (the first day of the quarter is reserved for program orientation). Your last day would be the last day of classes. You would be available to work four full days per week; Wednesdays are reserved for seminar and study tours.
Academic credit is earned for the internship, course-work in seminar, and an in-depth policy paper that you will develop and write throughout the quarter.

Questions about the program should be directed to the Program Coordinator, Laura Allen at Allen.878@osu.edu or 202.543.6215. Be sure to copy Program Coordinator, Laura Allen and Program Director, Dr. Kenneth Kolson (Kolson.1@osu.edu) on all correspondence with internship coordinators.

Washington Academic Internship Program

Contact

WAIP Calendar