INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW

Students work in field placements that reflect their particular areas of academic preparation.  The opportunities for students from any major are abundant in the Washington metropolitan area.  While many students choose to work in the federal government, there are countless other options to consider, including non-profit and international organizations, art and history museums, media outlets, advocacy groups, health and environmental policy offices, as well as numerous think-tank organizations. 

Over 260 OSU students from 65 different academic disciplines have been selected as Glenn Fellows. The following table shows some examples of how students have connected their majors to internships with particular organizations.

Internship Site	Major (s)	Minor (s)
Americans for the Arts	Italian, Medieval & Renaissance Studies, Business – Human Resources	Sociology
Capitol Hill	Political Science, Philosophy, International Relations and Diplomacy, Communications	Religion, American History, Women’s Studies, Criminology
Center for Media and Public Affairs	Communications	Political Science
Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Galleries	History, Art	English
The Center for Strategic and International Studies	History, International Studies, Economics, Arabic	International Economic Development, Political Science
Child Welfare League of America	English, Sociology	Criminology, Political Science
U.S. Department of Justice	Accounting, Criminology, Pre-Law, International Studies	French, Economics
National Geographic Society	Anthropology, International Studies	African Studies
Environmental Law Institute	Environmental Economics	Political Science
Sierra Club	Natural Resources, Biology	Classics
National Institutes of Health	Chemistry, Biology
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy	Mechanical Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering	Political Science, Environmental Economics
International Women's Democracy Center	Strategic Communication, Women’s Studies	Professional Writing

Please click here to see the full list of past internship placements.

INTERNSHIP PREPARATION

Each student works closely with our program staff to identify and secure an internship that is related to his or her academic preparation and career goals.  Students are encouraged to follow the steps below to identify and apply for an internship.  This process can take place at the same time as you are completing the program application. 

Step #1:  Explore possible internship sites

Your internship should reflect your upper-division coursework and extra-curricular involvement.  Our program is designed to allow you to apply what you have learned on campus to a substantive field placement in Washington. 

• Review a list of past internship placements. While this is not an exhaustive list of all possible internship placements in the Washington area, it is a good starting place as you begin to think about your internship options. 
• Talk with your faculty, tell them about your interests, and ask them to suggest several organizations that might fit with your preparation and interests. 
• Look into possible internships on your own using the Internet. 

Step #2:  Schedule an appointment with the On-campus Program Coordinator to discuss possible internship sites

Once you have completed these steps and compiled a short list of internship sites, you should contact the on-campus program coordinator, Mr. Ryan Meadows, at Meadows.76@osu.edu to schedule an appointment for assistance in prioritizing your list of potential placements.            

Step #3:  Contact potential internship sites

Once you have identified a short list of potential internship sites, you should look specifically for any information regarding undergraduate opportunities.  You are encouraged strongly to make an initial inquiry to the potential internship sites and gather complete contact information for the internship coordinator (name, title, e-mail address, phone number, and mailing address).  This is usually done via e-mail and directed to the named internship coordinator for the organization or another appropriate address. 

When you make your initial contact to a potential internship site, it is important that you accurately portray our program to the internship coordinator or human resources professional.  Please be sure to include all of the following points in your cover letter. NOTE: Your cover letter should be in the body of the e-mail you send to a potential internship site, with your resume as an attachment only.

• Convey that you are in the process of applying to Ohio State’s Washington Academic Internship Program which is sponsored by the John Glenn School of Public Affairs. 
• Indicate the academic quarter and specific days and dates that you would be available to complete your internship.  Our program operates on the OSU calendar, so your first day of your internship would be the second day of the quarter (the first day of the quarter is reserved for program orientation).  Your last day would be the last day of classes.  You would be available to work four full days per week; Wednesdays are reserved for seminar and study tours. 
• Academic credit is earned for the internship, course-work in seminar, and an in-depth policy paper that you will develop and write throughout the quarter. 
• Questions about the program should be directed to the Program Director, Dr. Elizabeth Boles at Boles.16@osu.edu or 202.452.6880.
• Be sure to copy Dr. Boles (Boles.16@osu.edu) and the Program Administrator, Ms. Ese Emerhi (Emerhi.1@osu.edu) on all correspondence with internship coordinators.

Step #4:  Apply for the Washington Academic Internship Program

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