Washington, DC

Students can spend January intersession at the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars in Washington, D.C. They attend lectures by national political and media figures, and visit sites such as the Capitol and government agencies, foreign embassies, the Smithsonian Institution, the Holocaust Museum, and the Newseum - a museum for news-related topics.

The Washington Center is an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization which prepares college students for civic leadership through experiential education. It is affiliated with more than 800 schools, and has more than 28,000 alumni, a quarter of whom have pursued careers in public service.

"This trip is not just for people who have the big background in political science and government; it absolutely changed my perspective," said Maura Hamacher, a CSD major. "I came back better educated and with a total new respect for politics."

"It's important because our lives revolve around politics - in health care, education, business," said DeAnne Start. "What government does affects every one of us."

"The Washington Center experience puts your life into perspective," said Patrick Carpenter. "You may realize you want to do something you never thought you would. You feel alive there."