SIA launches semester in Washington program

The Penn State School of International Affairs has started a new program that will help facilitate opportunities for SIA students to gain professional experience through internships in Washington. The SIA in Washington program, in collaboration with the Penn State Washington Program offered by the College of Communications, will help place students in full-time internships with organizations in the nation’s capital, assist students in securing housing, and host special events and programs for students in Washington.

Opportunities cover the spectrum of federal agencies and departments involved with foreign, defense, and trade policy; advocacy groups and lobbyists seeking to influence U.S. policy; think tanks engaged in research across the range of global issues; international monetary and finance institutions; foreign embassies; and global nongovernmental organizations.

“This program expands the range of internship opportunities available to SIA students, and with the accompanying housing, makes a Washington internship experience more accessible,” says Grant Littke, SIA director of Career Services. “We are very grateful to Dr. Robert Richards and the College of Communications for their leadership on this program.”

Penn State’s staff in Washington will work with students to determine their interests and relevant skills, critique materials as they craft their applications, and assist in securing high-quality, engaging internships closely related to their SIA studies.

Completion of an internship through the SIA in Washington Program will satisfy the SIA capstone requirement, which calls for students to complete either a master's paper or a supervised internship prior to graduation.

For more information, visit the College of Communications’ Washington Program website and speak with SIA’s director of Career Services. Students can schedule an appointment by emailing siacareers@psu.edu.