Success in D.C.

Washington, D.C., can be an intimidating place even for seasoned professionals and politicians. For interns it can be even more daunting, which is why the Illinois in Washington program has been working since 2006 to ensure that U of I students interning in the nation’s capital have a fruitful experience.

Illinois in Washington is available to all U of I students (though the majority are from the College of LAS) interested in a semester-long academic internship experience in the capital. The program helps students draft cover letters and resumes, makes them aware of D.C. internship openings (students apply for internships independently), and then offers students who land an internship the opportunity to earn academic credit through classes and seminars.

The program also offers mentoring support to help students adjust to life in the nation’s capital. It has a partnership with the Illinois Alumni Club of Greater Washington, D.C., to introduce students to U of I alumni living in the area who offer tips on networking and other career-building advice.

Students in the program live and attend classes a block from the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Senate office complex. They reside in either dorm-style housing or a group house on Capitol Hill, as arranged by the program. They pay the same tuition and fees as they would back on campus in Illinois, less the on-campus only fees.

It was a winning combination for Jenny Baldwin (B.A., ’14, history and political science), who served as an intern in the Washington office of U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) during the summer of 2013. Today she is still working for Davis, but now as his legislative correspondent in the same office.

Without the Illinois in Washington program, Baldwin says, she would not be living her dream of working in Washington.

“The Illinois in Washington program is wonderful because it allows students to earn class credit while making relationships in the workplace—relationships that have the potential to turn into an employment opportunity,” Baldwin says. “The structure of the program ensured that the work I was given at my internship was substantial, and not clerical—meaning that I was given more in-depth tasks than my fellow interns and I was able to further my knowledge of the legislative process.”

About 30 students per year take part in the program. Students get into the program when they meet the requirements, demonstrate an ability to work full-time while taking classes, have a solid academic footing, and have good references. The majority of them join before they’ve landed an internship in Washington, and, while the program doesn’t guarantee they’ll get an internship in Washington, every student who has ever joined Illinois in Washington has landed an internship.

They intern for a semester at a variety of places, including Capitol Hill, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Treasury, the American Enterprise Institute, and other government agencies, not-for-profits, lobbying organizations, think tanks, and other institutions.

Susan Dimock, interim director of the program, says that in addition to their internships, students in the program during the fall and spring semesters take part in a 12-credit program that includes three classes, including a six-credit core seminar. Students who enroll in the program during the summer take only the six-credit seminar in addition to their internship.

The classes and seminars take place on Fridays and Monday evenings (with the internships themselves occupying the rest of the week) and include working with a career coach, learning about networking, and writing a research paper. A Washington Experience class—often the students’ favorite, Dimock says—involves visiting places such as the Sierra Club, Brookings Institution, New America Foundation, Pew Research Center, West Wing Writers, and other places to learn about the goings-on in Washington.

“The goal of our program is to help students grow academically and professionally through experiential learning, professional development, research and writing,” Dimock says.

The program is developing a history of success. Including this year, about 175 U of I students have gone through the program. Of those, about 30 now work in Washington, and that number doesn’t include those who worked there and have since moved on to other places. Of the 20 student interns taking part in the program this spring and this past fall, Dimock says, about half want to return to D.C. after graduation.

Karim Popatia, a senior double majoring in political science and economics, was enrolled in the Illinois in Washington program during his internship at America Votes, a not-for-profit organization where his title was political/field intern, but where he participated in several duties. His experience reaffirmed his decision to pursue law school, and he credits much of his internship’s success to Illinois in Washington.

“From the very beginning, Susan helped us find internships, helped us focus on our interests and career goals, and looked at and checked our cover letters and resumes,” Popatia says. “When we got to Washington, she went to great lengths to make sure that we were getting the most out of our internships. She visited with our supervisors, encouraged us to do our best and ask for more work, and even brought in guests who looked over our resumes, offered us career advice, and helped us understand the inner workings of Washington.”

Valeria Marin, a senior majoring in economics, was enrolled in the program while she interned with the Office of U.S. Trade Representative. She says the Illinois in Washington program helped ease the transition from Urbana-Champaign to Washington.

During the program’s Washington Experience class, Marin adds, they visited the Pew Research Center, and during that visit she felt her future begin to come into view.

“I realized that I was most interested in working with data and people,” Marin says. “My experience in Washington and guidance from informal mentors has helped guide me to the career path that I am now pursuing in consulting and data analytics.”