3 Reasons to do a TFAS Academic Internship Program This Summer
Dreaming of travel this summer but also want to make it count toward your degree? Looking for a way to expand your mind? Need professional experience through an internship program before graduation?
The TFAS Academic Internship Program give students the unique opportunity to live, learn and intern in Washington, D.C., where they can gain real-world experience while exploring new ideas and earning college credit.
Here are three reason why TFAS alumni think you should do The TFAS Academic Internship Program this summer:
1. LIVE IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Evan Gold ’10 attended TFAS D.C. Summer Programs track on Business + Government Relations during his summer with TFAS. Gold said one of the reasons he decided to attend a TFAS program was the opportunity it gave him to travel.
“For me, I think it was the chance to live, work and study in the nation’s capital. I had never spent much time outside of my hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, prior to the program, and my experience in D.C. cultivated a love of travel, exploration and of challenging myself in new environments.”
Not only can you travel to a city where front-page news in made every day, but the amount of experiences you can have are endless, Gold said.
“I still look back on my summer in D.C. as the most fun that I have ever had. The program looks great on a resume, you get experience in one of the most important cities in the world and you stand the chance to have more fun than you can possibly imagine.”
Gold credits his TFAS experience with helping him step outside of his comfort zone and become a more outgoing and confident person. Now, Gold is the head of operations and senior project manager for Hallmark Builders, Inc., in Atlanta, Georgia.
“I approached the summer with the motto that I was going to ‘get comfortable being uncomfortable’ – I made it my goal to try things that were outside my comfort zone, to talk to people I didn’t know, to try things I hadn’t tried before and to embrace the program and all it had to offer.”
TFAS students live just blocks from the national monuments, State Department and White House on the campus of George Washington University. Fully furnished housing and roommate matching is provided as part of the comprehensive program.
2. BUILD A NETWORK OF RELATIONSHIPS
Vanessa Scott ’18, a current student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said the most impactful part of her TFAS experience was building life-long friendships and professional connections.
“TFAS isn’t simply a program that you go through to add to a resume, it is a worthwhile investment into a growing network of excellence-driven alumni, internship hosts, professors and mentors who want nothing but to see you succeed. Through TFAS, I not only developed a sense of belonging in Washington D.C., but I did so surrounded by some of the closest friends I have made to date – ones who I still keep up with today.”
TFAS Academic Internship Programs offer a number of networking opportunities to enhance your internship experience and maximize your time in D.C. Take part in our mentor program, professional development seminars, roundtable discussions and networking receptions and site briefings at some of the most influential institutions and organizations in Washington.
After attending the Public Policy + Economics program track, Scott said she felt empowered returning home to finish her degree. She came away with networking skills and professional connections she would continue to call on for career advice.
“Looking back, I’ve seen how TFAS provided a foundation in network development and in building connections that I began there and continue to employ today. TFAS is hands down the best experience I have had to date academically, professionally and even personally, and I would undoubtedly do it all again.”
3. LAUNCH YOUR CAREER
Hannah Winters ’17, a graduate of Ball State University and the current deputy scheduler for Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana, said her TFAS internship program set her on the path to success.
“TFAS was the launching pad that set me up for my current career. Following my summer at TFAS, I got really involved in Indiana politics where I got my first two jobs on U.S. Senate races. After winning the 2018 U.S. Senate race, I was able to return to D.C. and start working on Capitol Hill,” she said. “If it wasn’t for TFAS, I never would have gotten involved at the state level, which ended up bringing me back to Washington.”
An internship is one of the most important investments you can make in your career. It can lead to a full-time job, letters of recommendation and important professional contacts. The TFAS Academic Internship program guarantees an internship placement in the D.C. area. Some past internship placement sights include federal agencies, congressional offices, policy groups and think tanks, international affairs organizations, embassies and media outlets and public relations firms.
Before coming to Washington, D.C., with TFAS, Winters said she wasn’t sure what a career in politics would look like. After her TFAS summer, she said the Leadership + the American Presidency internship program gave her the experience she needed.
“I always say that the amount I learned about policy, government and politics in two months with TFAS was more than I learned in my entire time in undergrad! The lecture series, receptions and other after hour events connected me with people who gave me career advice and pointed me in the right direction on the path I was hoping to take. I walked away from this experience with an expansive network and knowledge on new policy areas of interest that I wouldn’t have otherwise gained.”
A summer in Washington, D.C., will prepare you for your future career, help you build networking skills and allow you to explore the nation’s capital. Whether you’re looking for an amazing internship or your next adventure, TFAS programs are the way to spend your summer living, learning and interning in Washington, D.C.