Students Answer Your FAQs

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In 2019, we started allowing our students to take over the Washington Internship Institute’s Instagram Story. Aside from showing us their favorite parts of DC, their internships, and their housing, students also took it upon themselves to answer questions from potential students! We compiled all of their answers here.

INTERNSHIPS

WHERE ARE YOU INTERNING?

“I’m interning at SOS Children’s Villages! We build families for orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children in 134 countries and territories. My position is the Donor Stewardship & Communications Intern. Which is a fancy way of saying that I communicate with donors, help with mass mailings, and contribute to major campaign projects.” - Georgia McKee, Belmont University

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR INTERNSHIP?

“I absolutely love the Hill. The politics. The environment of it all. As soon as I received an offer from my senator’s office, I immediately accepted. Every day I love getting up and going to work! It’s always good to ask yourself why you’re coming to DC. I wanted to come here to be in a place where changes are made. Currently, my goal is to make it back to DC after my undergrad as soon as I possibly can.” - Marissa Kaiser, Nazareth College

“I wanted to…

  • get treated with utmost respect by my colleagues

  • work on important hands-on tasks that make a difference

  • have the opportunity to educationally and professionally grow

  • get to attend different exciting events all around DC for my internship”

    - Harrison Kane, Nazareth College

WHAT’S THE BEST PART ABOUT YOUR INTERNSHIP?

  • “The bathroom lighting

  • when senators bring their dogs

  • the sushi

  • seeing well-known politicians

  • always feeling like I’m in the middle of everything and anything cool

  • being around influential young professionals

  • Getting lost. Literally every day.

  • Being able to represent an important office in congress and my state!

  • Making friends with similar professional goals

  • Networking! Everyone wants to help you get a job.

  • The protests! Always good to see what people are passionate about.”

- Marissa Kaiser, Nazareth College

APPLYING FOR INTERNSHIPS

HOW MANY INTERNSHIPS DID YOU APPLY FOR?

“I applied to around 20 organizations and interviewed at 5. The summer is super competitive in DC for interns so the more the merrier.” - Georgia McKee, Belmont University

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE BEFORE YOU STARTED TO HEAR BACK FROM ORGANIZATIONS FOR INTERVIEWS?

“I applied to places over the summer—and journalism is extremely competitive so I figured it would take a while. I started hearing back in July / August, but started applying in May / June. My tip to you is to apply everywhere. Give yourself options. Be patient. Definitely follow up. I looked on essentially every job board there is online and sent a tone of applications out. Even if you don’t get an offer, that org knows your name now…and it’s good practice for you to apply.” - Tacy Cresson, Endicott College

LIVING IN DC AND HOUSING

WHAT’S THE HOUSING LIKE?

“We love the apartments and are so thankful to have a nice, furnished place to stay! They are 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartments with a full kitchen and washer/dryer.” - Georgia McKee, Belmont University

DID YOU ROOM WITH PEOPLE YOU PREVIOUSLY KNEW OR DID YOU MEET THERE?

“Yes and yes! My best friend and I came together and requested to be roommates, but we also share the apartment with two lovely ladies we met here!” - Georgia McKee, Belmont University

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO IN DC?

  • “Scooter

  • Kayak

  • Hike (there’s amazing trails close to the apartment)”

- Georgia McKee, Belmont University

“I like to visit:

  • The Capitol

  • The Supreme Court

  • The top of the Washington Monument (which just reopened)

  • The Monuments at night

  • The Lincoln Memorial

  • The White House”

- Tacy Cresson, Endicott College

BEST RESTAURANTS IN DC?

“Went out to eat at Ruth’s Christ Steak House with my family and had the best meal hands down. Other top restaurants:

  • &pizza

  • Mia’s Italian Kitchen

  • Old Ebbitt Grill

  • Honestly anywhere Italian because who doesn’t love free bread with their meals.”

-Harrison Kane, Nazareth College

COLLEGE CREDITS

HOW MANY CREDITS ARE YOU EARNING?

“I am getting 15 credits total while I’m here. So therefore I remain a full time student: 9 internship credits, then 6 credits of classes. Only 3 out of those 15 count toward my Liberal Arts Credits (which is really the only credits left that I need). It’s different for every school though, and might depend on your major as well.” - Cassidy Smith, Nazareth College

CAREER

HOW DO YOU TRANSITION TO A PAID JOB?

“Work hard and play harder. There’s no beaten path that you can take to getting a paid position in the field you love. Start by interning and working your way up. There are a surprising amount of paid internships in DC.” - Harrsion Kane, Nazareth College

More questions? Contact rachel@wiidc.org, explore our website and YouTube, or follow along at our Instagram for the chance to ask a student yourself!