< < <

FAQs

Q: What are the benefits of the program?
A: The benefits of the Washington Leadership Program are difficult to summarize. They are profound, impacting participants professionally, socially, and academically. Overall, participating makes students’ resumes stand out from the crowd and makes former WLP students into more attractive candidates for careers and graduate programs.

Professionally, the program allows students access to challenging and unique internships, which in turn provide them with professional experience and contacts. It also allows students to live and work in Washington in a safe and fun environment, alongside their fellow Hoosiers and with the guidance of an IU faculty member.

Academically, the two courses WLP participants take give them an insider view of Washington. Both 400-level SPEA classes, they increase students’ understanding of the federal government, politics, and current events. They also challenge students to think about their government in new ways.

Socially, WLP allows students to bond with about 30 other IU students who share their interests and ambitions. Many participants return from Washington with friends for life after living, working, and taking classes in such an intimate environment alongside so many of their peers. Additionally, it allows students to grow in terms of leadership abilities and confidence.

Q: How do I apply to the program?
A: In order to apply, you must submit an application form, personal statement, resume, and three faculty references online no later than the established due date and time. The application directions, forms, and due date can be found on the Web site at: http://www.indiana.edu/~speaweb/careers/wlp_apply.php. After you submit your application online, you will sign up for an interview; it will last for 30-45 minutes and will take place soon after the application deadline.

Q: What criteria do you use to select students?
A: We look at a variety of criteria, including, but not limited to: grades, coursework, interest in the program, maturity level, involvement in extracurricular activities, and career goals. Each student is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, meaning there is no set rubric of qualities that we look for. It is important to note that we select applicants based on quality rather than quantity, which means that although we have 30 spots available each semester, we may accept fewer than 30 students.

Q: How much does the Washington Leadership Program cost?
A: The Washington Leadership Program costs approximately the same as a semester in Bloomington, although living in Washington is generally more expensive than living in Bloomington. The main costs, tuition and housing, will be comparable, if not the same.

The tuition expense includes 12 credit hours of tuition—6 for the internship and 6 for the classes. If you have in-state residency, tuition will be in-state; if you have out-of-state residency, tuition will be out-of-state. The housing costs are between $3500-4000 per semester. Students are informed of the exact cost soon after program admission. This amount covers the rent for a fully furnished apartment and all utilities.

Other expenses include food, entertainment, and transportation, which will vary, based on lifestyle, but will probably be higher than cost of living in Bloomington; costs in Washington are comparable to costs in Chicago or in any other major city. Since you will not be on campus during the semester, your student activity and health fees are waived, a savings of approximately $400. Additionally, some internships offer monetary or other compensation such as a transportation stipend. Please ask the WLP staff for more details.

Q: Where will I live in DC?
A: WLP participants live in furnished corporate apartments in a suburban Washington, D.C. location. The apartments are within walking distance of a D.C. Metro station, and this is the means by which students travel to their internships, classes, and most social outings. Four WLP participants will share a two-bedroom apartment.

The complex provides:

All necessary amenities, including appliances, cooking utensils, and linens
Business center with high speed Internet
Convenience store
Barbeque grills
Dry cleaning services

Q: How will I get around the city?
A: The subway, called the Metro, is a safe, convenient, and affordable way to get around the entire Washington area, including northern Virginia and southern Maryland, and most students rely on it for most of their transportation. We recommend that at least one person in each four-person apartment bring a car, but bringing one is not necessary and many students do not.

Q: What are the internships like?
A: Washington Leadership Program provides students with about seventy different internships to chose from, so they allow participants a wide array of internship selections. They include internships with:

Governmental Agencies, like the Departments of Defense and Commerce
Congressional Offices, like the Indiana Senators Bayh and Lugar
Environmental Organizations, like the Environmental Protection Agency
Non-Governmental Organizations/Non-Profits, like the Council of State Governments or the Woodrow Wilson International Center
Health Organizations, like the National Institute for Health Care Management

WLP offers internships with either governmental or non-profit organizations, so there are no internships available with for-profit organizations. WLP offers some flexibility, however, in that if a student wants an internship that is not on our pre-determined list, we can help him or her, based on their own initiative, obtain their desired internship. We have had participants intern at many places by these means, including in the White House.

Q: How do I decide which internship to do?
A: That is entirely up to the student to decide with the help of WLP staff. Each internship will offer a very different experience and opportunities to grow in different and new ways. WLP staff will help participants evaluate the internships and chose one based on their own strengths and interests. Internship evaluations from many former WLP participants and internship summaries from supervisors are available to help students make an informed decision.

Q: What classes will I take?
A: You will take two classes from Donna McClean, a SPEA faculty member who lives and works in Washington; one focuses on the Federal Government and Funding Process, and the other focuses on Current Events and General Politics. The classes will be held to the same high academic standards as on-campus classes, and they both will include reading assignments, research projects, and writing requirements. Outside speakers and field trips will also be a part of the curriculum.

You will intern four days a week, Monday through Thursday, and take classes on Tuesday evening and on Friday morning. Everyone in WLP takes the same two classes, so you will be able to commute and study with others in the program.

Q: Who teaches the classes?
A: Donna McClean is the SPEA faculty member who teaches the Washington Leadership Program courses. She is the former Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Transportation, and she is now President of Donna McClean Associates, LLC, a Washington-based consulting firm specializing in transportation policy. She received her Masters in Public Affairs from SPEA, and her undergraduate bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Anthropology are also from IU. She has been teaching WLP courses for a few semesters and enjoys working with students.

Q: How many students go to DC each semester?
A: Up to 30 students go to DC each fall and spring semester. The number varies per semester because we chose interns based on quality of the applicant pool rather than on a certain set number, but is generally no fewer than 20.

Q: Will this program delay my graduation?
A: Each student should speak with an academic advisor for their major to discuss how the classes can fit into their graduation requirements. Each school and major accepts the credits in a different way, so it is important to plan accordingly. The earlier you start the planning process for the program, the less likely you are to delay graduation.

Q: Will the credits count toward my degree requirements?
A: This depends on your department and, more specifically, your major. All students in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs will receive credit toward their graduation requirements from participating in the program, but we recommend that students in other programs talk independently with their academic advisors to determine eligibility. Students can always contact Melissa Jackson, meaedwar@indiana.edu, Co-Director of the Washington Leadership Program, with any questions or concerns about degree requirements.