Psu Washington Internship Program
a Great Way to Break Into Capital

3-11-96
University Park, Pa.--Taking part in Penn State's Washington Internship Program last year has given international politics major Jim Rodgers the edge he'll need in breaking into the highly competitive political job market in the nation's capital.

"You have to have some sort of practical experience, or no one is going to give you a second look," said Rodgers, a senior from Steelton, Pa., who expects to graduate this May. "The Washington Internship Program is a great way to get that experience. I have nothing but good things to say about the program."

During his internship in the summer of 1995, Rodgers worked in the Washington office of Congressman George Gekas, R-Pa., who represents the greater Harrisburg area. Acting as a general assistant to the congressman and his staff, Rodgers' responsibilities included performing public relations duties, maintaining constituent services and correspondence, and doing clerical tasks as well as research.

Nicole Simonelli, a Penn State junior from Richboro, Pa., who is also majoring in international politics, wants to take part in the program for the same reasons--to get the practical experience that will make potential employers sit up and take notice. "I'd like to work down there after graduation," she said, "but I don't think I'd be able to do that unless I intern now."

Mike Skonieczny, the program's project assistant, acts as a middleman between students seeking internships and the available job sites in Washington, D.C., and works to place students into locations best suited for their needs. These sites include congressional offices, interest groups, media organizations, and eco-groups.

The program has received significant attention from many Penn State students since its introduction here at the University last spring. This semester about 100 students have already expressed a desire to become Washington interns. In past semesters, 25 students have been offered internships and 15 have accepted.

The new program is valuable because it can serve as an important first step for students who previously had no idea where to begin their trek to Capitol Hill, offering them three essential things.

"First, the program assists students in finding meaningful internships appropriate to their interests and career goals. Second, it provides housing. And finally, there are special programs provided for the interns, including receptions with the local Penn State alumni chapter," Skonieczny said.

But while Skonieczny stressed the importance for students to gain experience in their prospective work fields, he also emphasized that the program offers much more than just a place for students to work and a convenient way to get to the Nation's Capitol. He said it can also help them meet people who can help give them jobs, or at least job leads, long before they graduate.

"It's not just a resume builder or a way to get a letter of recommendation," he said. "It is a good way for students to make contacts on Capitol Hill and to begin networking into their fields."

James Rambeau, associate dean for undergraduate education, also stressed the benefits the internship program can provide to students who want to break into Washington's political scene.

"The program offers real hands-on experience, which often turns out to be a form of pre-employment," Rambeau said. "We know internships very often lead to employment."

Though only a year old, the program has already expanded significantly. For example, it now allows Penn State students to live with interns from other universities in housing facilities owned by Boston University, which runs a Washington internship program similar to Penn State's.

Skonieczny hopes the program will continue to grow, and said the new housing situation is an important step toward incorporating classroom instruction into the internship program for Penn State students. Boston University currently offers seven classes of its own there, and Penn State could either place students in BU's program, or could use its own professors, he said.

"I envision this as a domestic version of the Education Abroad program," Skonieczny said.

**jmp**

Christy Rambeau
(814) 865-7517 (office)
(814 237-9046 (home)
cmr7@psu.edu

Alan Janesch
(814) 865-7517 (office)
(814 867-3621 (home)
axj12@psu.edu