Centre News

This fall, students will live, intern and study in Washington DC.
Centre students have long frequented the city; above, several are
pictured at the 2010 "Rally to Restore Sanity," hosted by Comedy
Central's Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.
"I hope students jump at the opportunity to catapult themselves
into the midst of one of the most vibrant cities in the world," says
Associate Dean of the College and Stodghill Professor of Religion
Beth Glazier-McDonald.

This fall won't be the first time Centre College students crack the books in Washington, D.C.

For many years, Centre faculty members have taken their classes to Washington — and elsewhere — for short periods. Economics professors Marie Petkus and Bruce Johnson and religion professors Tom McCollough and Beth Glazier-McDonald have taken students to D.C.; President John Roush has taken students to New Orleans; professors Ken Keffer and Sheldon Tapley have taken students to Chicago and New York. And for the past 40 years, individual students have completed semester internships and programs in Washington.

But a new Centre-in-Washington internship program will expand Centre's global citizenship program in a dramatic way by making “study-away” at an off-campus U.S. site an easy option for students.

Partnering with Butler University, Centre will send five students in the fall and five the following spring to Washington, where they will not only complete internships but will also take courses that focus on the art and architecture of Washington and U.S. foreign policy and international affairs. In addition, students will take part in three “Washington Weekend Seminars,” one-hour courses on everything from political polling to international sports marketing to the federal war on drugs to the Declaration of Independence to the history of the Holocaust Museum to the world after 9/11.

Internship opportunities are available in a wide array of fields. Butler students who have participated in the program have interned with the Speaker and Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives; ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News, and CNN; the Holocaust and Air and Space museums; Amnesty International and the Organization of American States; more than 20 senators from both parties; the United Nations Foundation; the Pentagon, State Department, and Agency for International Development; the National Rehabilitation Center; and many law firms, think tanks and advocacy groups.

As part of the program, students will intern full-time Monday through Thursday and will take their two three-hour courses in the evenings. Spending so much time in the business realm of Washington will allow students not only to strengthen job skills but also make important connections for their futures.

“With this new program, students will be able to take advantage of connections and networking opportunities in a city that's very popular with current students and alumni,” says Mindy Wilson, assistant director for employer relations and internships in Centre's Career Services office. “And they'll gain some practical experience in an academic setting. Our goal is for students to gain a better understanding of possible career choices while enhancing what they learn in Centre classrooms.”

During their semester in the city, Centre students will live in apartment suites on Connecticut Avenue, N.W. A five-minute walk to the Woodley Park/Zoo stop on the Metro Red Line — and thus a short subway ride away from all major residential, governmental and commercial areas in and around Washington — the location is ideal for students who want to experience the best that Washington has to offer.

“I love D.C.,” Associate Dean of the College and Stodghill Professor of Religion Beth Glazier-McDonald says, “and I hope that students jump at the opportunity to catapult themselves into the midst of one of the most vibrant cities in the world, a city of tremendous possibility and challenge where they can be eyewitnesses to and participants in decisions that influence and affect all of us.”

Students who are interested in participating in the Centre-in-Washington program should attend a brief informational meeting on Thursday, Jan. 19, at 7:00 p.m. in the Davidson Room of Old Carnegie.

Have comments, suggestions, or story ideas? E-mail elizabeth.trollinger@centre.edu with your feedback.

Centre College, founded in 1819 and chosen to host its second Vice Presidential Debate in 2012, is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges, at 42nd in the nation, and ranks 27th for best value among national liberal arts colleges. Forbes magazine ranks Centre 34th among all the nation’s colleges and universities and has named Centre in the top five among all institutions of higher education in the South for three years in a row. Centre is also ranked fourth in the nation by U.S. News for its study abroad program. For more, click here.