More About the Washington Semester Program!

My name is Maggie McInerney, and I am a fourth-year Political Science student here at SPIA! I am currently completing my last semester in D.C. through the Washington Semester Program. As someone who wishes they had learned about this opportunity earlier in my undergraduate journey, I wanted to share more about the program and my experience so far! WSP is both a professional and academic study-away program that you can apply to during the fall, spring, or summer semesters. WSP allows you to engage in a full course load while pursuing a full-time internship at the institution of your choice. The program offers multiple scholarships and housing in Delta Hall, located right in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. I am a Legislative Intern at a lobbying firm called Thorn Run Partners, where I perform various research, administrative, editorial, and legislative tasks. A large majority of interns work on Capitol Hill, which is exciting for those interested in gaining hands-on experience in government and legislative affairs. For those who are interested in other areas, such as working in a law firm, banking institutions, think tanks, etc., WSP is open to all majors! My cohort actually includes a wide range of students, from Mechanical Engineering to Journalism. Additionally, one of the largest benefits of pursuing a Washington Semester is the experiential opportunity it grants you—to find out what you do or don’t like for your career. It serves as a trial-and-error period that will grow your professional and academic network drastically. It is also a great way to live in such an amazing city for free! This program has forced me to step out of my comfort zone and carve out my policy interests so I can apply for full-time positions with a narrowed focus. I cannot recommend the Washington Semester Program enough and hope you will too!