Founded in 1968, The Washington Semester Program (University of Rochester Department of Science Department, PSCI 396) offers internships in Congress, the executive branch, party campaign committees, and lobbying, advocacy and policy groups. The department uses The Washington Center for support. The center helps students secure a placement, provides housing, and offers other programming. An internship provides a student the opportunity to learn experientially one or more of the following: how government functions; how public policies are created, adopted and implemented; and how political campaigns work. Click here to learn more about this and other Political Science Department internship programs.
Read more about the Washington Semester Program and its participants over the years in the following articles:
Bricker, Sue. “Reflections on the Washington Semester: Sue Bricker,” Rochester Review, Summer, 1977, pp. 5-9.
“From Rochester to Washington Profiles of three alumni-Robert Sachs, ’70,” Rochester Review, Fall, 1978, pp. 13-15.
“A Taste of Real-World Politics:The Washington Semester Program,” Rochester Review, Spring, 1991, p. 14.
Hauser, Scott. “Mr. Meier Goes to Washington,” Rochester Review, Winter 1999-2000, pp. 38.
Hauser, Scott. “Mr. Kennedy Went to Washington,” Rochester Review, Winter 1999-2000, pp. 36-39.
Wilson, David McKay. “Policy Guide: Heather Higginbottom ’94,” Rochester Review, January-February 2009, pp. 17-18.
McCally, Karen. “A Seat in the House: Chris Lee ’87,” Rochester Review, March-April 2009, pp. 23-25.
McCally, Karen. “‘Champion of Change:’ Maureen Roche ’97,” Rochester Review, May-June 2012, pp. 48-49.
