Students head to D.C.
The Washington Fellowship provides internship opportunities for all majors
Washington, D.C., one of the most well-known cities in the world, could be a Liberty student’s next home. The thriving city hosts all three branches of the U.S. government and countless companies where students could potentially find their next job.
Network — The Washington Fellowship helps students prepare for their future career field. Photo credit: Emily Becker
The Washington Fellowship, a Liberty University program, gives students the chance to intern full-time in Washington, D.C., during the fall, spring or summer semesters.
The program provides Liberty housing in the Capitol Hill district, with a dorm situated two blocks away from the Capitol building and close to the Union Station Metro.
Shiree Craft, the Washington Fellowship recruitment coordinator, assists students in the beginning stage of the Washington Fellowship process.
“I meet with students to speak with them in detail about the features and cost of our program, as well as explain to them the components of the application process to the program,” Craft said.
Reggie Leonard, the Washington Fellowship placement coordinator, works with accepted students to help them create cover letters and a résumé — as well as practice for interviews — all with the goal of finding a beneficial internship.
Once accepted into the Washington Fellowship and settled with an internship, students are ready for a valuable work experience that will also look good on their résumé after college, according to Craft.
“Spending a semester in Washington, D.C., will not only make students stronger competitors for jobs in the future, but will also allow them the opportunity to develop professionally and spiritually as they navigate their time working and living there,” Craft said.
Justine Lisa, a senior fashion merchandising major, is currently interning at Snobswap, an online luxury marketplace for selling or buying pre-owned, high-end designer fashion items. Lisa heard about the program during her sophomore year and decided to try it.
“I just felt like it was something that I seriously needed to pray about,” Lisa said. “I’ve always had a desire to live in a city, and I thought that starting off in our nation’s capital would be an adventure for sure.”
Lisa works with the authentication of the high-end products, organization of the website and inventory, communication support, preparation of images and special projects like event planning.
“All the work that I do at my internship is completely relevant to fashion merchandising,” Lisa said. “It’s the behind-the-scenes work that makes a fashion company flourish. I love it.”
Seth Montgomery is a senior majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing and a minor in criminal justice. When Montgomery found out that the Washington Fellowship had direct connections with his ideal internship, he decided to participate.
“I wanted to intern with the US Marshals Service (USMS),” Montgomery said. “I went to the Career Center and asked if they had any connections with the USMS, and they told me that was their main connection. The Washington Fellowship was the direct route to get into the USMS internship.”
According to Craft, any major is able to participate in the Washington Fellowship.
“We have had students from various majors serve as interns at many noteworthy institutions in Washington, D.C.,” Craft said. “Some examples include the United States Secret Service, C-SPAN, National Geographic, the White House, NCIS, USMS, DC United, Anthropologie, American Psychological Association, Concerned Women for America and many, many more.”
Additionally, Craft said each semester two or three Washington Fellowship participants get job offers from the companies where they interned.
Apart from the internship benefits, Lisa said the best part about living in Washington, D.C., is the diversity.
“I absolutely love it,” Lisa said. “The food, cultures and shopping are so unique. It’s such a historical city, yet it’s so young and
exhilarating.”
Although city life can be fun, Lisa has a 40-minute commute to work every weekday.
“One of my least favorite things about living in Washington, D.C., has been the daily commute on the metro,” Lisa said. “I definitely miss the luxury of getting in my car and having the freedom to go anywhere I want.”
Montgomery said his favorite part of living in Washington, D.C., is the people he works with.
“Their wisdom, expertise and advice has been a complete blessing and learning curve,” Montgomery said. “I get to handle some very sensitive cases on the job, and their knowledge and experience has been immensely valuable to everyday life.”
Any interested students should contact Craft to learn more about the program and application process.
“It’s not too late to apply for summer 2015 – our application cut-off for summer 2015 is March 13,” Craft said.
To request an appointment, visit liberty.edu/washington and select “Appointment Request,” or email washington@liberty.edu.
FRASER is a feature reporter.