Washington D.C., is home to several people who choose to live where some of the world’s most important decisions are made. Waynesburg University students now have a chance to find out what it might be like to call Washington home. 

Waynesburg University has partnered with The Washington Center, a non-profit organization that looks to bring students to Washington D.C. for internships. 

Sarah Bell, coordinator of academic communications and study abroad, said this is a new opportunity introduced recently and is available to interested students. 

“In the Spring semester, we signed an affiliation agreement,” said Bell. “This is really our first full year of having this program on campus.” 

Bell, along with Sam Fansler, manager of college and university relations at The Washington Center, held an interest meeting last Wednesday, Oct. 3. At the meeting, they talked extensively for around an hour about the possible benefits of the program. 

“We’ve spent years honing in on the perfect internship,” Fansler said in the meeting.. “We want to give this opportunity to as many students as we can. We want you to be proud of your resume [and] give you stories that will make your interviews shine.” 

Students who receive the Washington Center internship get to spend one semester in Washington D.C., in an optional apartment style dorm that includes cable, internet and appliances, along with kitchen and bathroom equipment. Classrooms are in the academic suite on the first floor of the building. The internship is based around living the lifestyle of a local working in the U.S. capital. 

To be considered for the internship, students must have attended at least three semesters of college , and be maintaining a GPA of at least 3.0. 

“We’re looking to see if you’re responsible enough to go to D.C.,” said Bell. “We want to keep everyone moving forward.” 

Students can choose from a variety of courses, such as arts, humanities, business as well as several others. Courses are subject to change with every new semester. 

“We really do try to dispel the myth that D.C. is just for politics students,” said Fansler. “D.C. is a hub for so many private companies, public service organizations, non profits, communications opportunities [and] foundations.” 

Though no one from Waynesburg has enrolled in the program, that has not stopped Fansler from continuing to spread the word. 

“Sam came to my leadership class and gave us a brief about when the meeting was,” said Allyson Barker, a student who attended the meeting Wednesday as a double major in both marketing and art. “I’m looking at internships for the summer. I’m a junior and just looking to better my career for the future.” 

When Fansler was all done, she had attended a total of 11 classes in the two days she was in the borough of Waynesburg. 

“We really wanted her to talk with the Stover Scholars,” said Bell. “We think that the Stover Program and The Washington Center Program are really a good fit together.”