Notre Dame’s Washington Program funds sophomores and juniors to experience a semester in Washington, D.C., taking political science and global affairs courses in the nation’s capital. During the program, students also complete an internship at their chosen organization.
“The Washington Program is a great way to explore your interests. I met so many great people, and it’s an incredible opportunity I would recommend to anyone,” program alumna junior Margo Schellinger said.
The hallmark of the Washington Program is the internship, where students work at least 24 hours a week in a field they take an interest in. Students apply to and then intern at a variety of organizations — from government offices and Congress to media positions and non-governmental organizations. Additionally, they visit institutions within the Capital District for weekly policy visits. The program also incorporates opportunities for networking and career discernment.
Schellinger said she interned at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. “I absolutely loved working on Capitol Hill,” she said. “It’s an incredible learning opportunity for anybody with an interest in public service or gaining a deeper understanding of how our government works.”
Students in the program are housed in apartments in the Penn Quarter neighborhood, close to public transportation systems which provide access to the Smithsonian museums, Kennedy Center performances and numerous other historical sites across the city.
“Walking the halls of Capitol Hill, attending committee meetings and doing policy research were some of my favorite parts of the experience,” program alumni junior Cameron Drumm said.
Drumm was a Congressional Intern for representative Rudy Yakym of Indiana’s second congressional district. “I also learned a lot by taking phone calls and interacting with constituents,” he said. “It acted as a springboard for my future internships.”
Housed in apartments in the Penn Quarter neighborhood, students are located close to public transportation systems, providing access to the Smithsonian museums, Kennedy Center performances and numerous other sites across the city.
Program alum senior Wedeb Ghebrehiwet worked as an education and workforce intern at FWD.us, a non-profit advocacy organization. “I really enjoyed the mix of professional, academic and social life,” Ghebrehiwet said. “That mix really helped me grow and prepare for new experiences.”
When they’re not working as interns, students take courses on either the political science track or the new global affairs track, which is only offered in the spring. In addition to electives, students in political science must take Foundations of Public Policy, while students on the global affairs track take Reimagining the U.S. in the World: the Evolution of American Soft Power and the Future of Foreign Assistance.
Students in the program are also able to participate in the Notre Dame Human Rights Clinic. Working with the Clinic, students engage in real-world applications of human rights policy and advocacy through partnerships with non-governmental organizations and international law firms.
“Advice I would give to people interested in the program is to cast a wide net,” Schellinger said, “Keep an open mind because no matter the field you focus on in the Washington Program, you will learn something valuable.”
According to the program’s website, 22% of program participants return to DC for their first position after graduation, working in law, consulting, the nonprofit sector and politics.
Applications for the program’s fall 2026 and spring 2027 cohorts will close Nov. 30.
