For Employers: Hosting an Intern

Meet the Brown in Washington Cohorts

Students in the Brown in Washington semester fellowship spend either the fall or spring semester living in Washington D.C. They experience an internship with an agency in the public or nonprofit sector while completing a full course load that includes a two-credit practicum, one International and Public Affairs (IAPA) course developed for the Brown in Washington cohort, and at least one Brown remote-accessible course (or independent study) of their choosing. Through networking opportunities, they develop connections for future pathways.

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Eligibility

Brown students who are juniors or seniors at the start of the Fellowship are eligible to apply. Students must have completed a year on campus prior to beginning the Fellowship in Washington. In addition, students should have demonstrated an interest in public policy or working in the public sector, although students in every concentration are highly encouraged to participate. Those who have already secured an internship in Washington, D.C. prior to applying will receive priority consideration.

Academic Requirements

In Fall 2023, students will enroll in three Brown University courses for a full semester of four credits: 

• UNIV 1800: Brown in Washington Practicum (2 credits)
• IAPA 1801V: Diplomacy and Development: Related but Different Missions, taught by Brian Atwood, head of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) during the Administration of President William Clinton. The course will examine the practice and profession of diplomacy and its relationship to the policy process. It will expose students to policy analysis, memo writing for decision making, negotiations, and verbal communications.
• One Brown remote-accessible course of their choosing (or an independent study) in any department. 

The Brown in Washington Semester Fellowship may satisfy the practicum requirement for students participating in the Engaged Scholarship Certificate.

Internship Placements

The Brown in Washington internship is a central feature of UNIV 1800, the practicum course. Together, the course and the internship are designed to provide students with a hands-on learning experience to complement their academic study at Brown. The 20-25-hour/week internship with an agency in the public or nonprofit sector is intended to connect policy and practice while building students’ strengths towards post-Brown career objectives. In weekly seminar classes, students reflect on their internship experiences and how they relate to their academic and post-Brown life. The course grounds student experiences within the context of Washington D.C. and provides opportunities for students to share insights from their placements. 

Potential internship sites include government or public sector agencies (e.g., federal agencies, Congressional offices, state or municipal executive or legislative offices); nonprofit organizations; public health; museum history, culture, and art; and other organizations with a policy-oriented mission and the ability to support meaningful internship placements for college students. Please check back soon for the Fall 2023 internship placement options. 

During their internship, students will:

• Explore career options and gain practical experience;
• Gain a deep understanding of how their host organization operates, and how it collaborates with other institutions especially in relation to the policy process;
• Apply concepts and transfer knowledge between the classroom and the workplace;
• Build their résumé and acquire new skills that will empower them through their Brown-to-career transition;
• Develop a network of professionals in Washington D.C. that they can leverage upon graduation from Brown.

Upon selection to the Brown in Washington Fellowship, students will work with Brown in Washington and CareerLAB staff to understand program structure, identify suitable internship sites, and connect with alumni or other contacts who might be able to provide relevant advice. Students are also strongly encouraged to apply for and secure an internship of their own choosing that meets the program’s criteria. Staff provide guidance and support, link students with host institutions through alumni and CareerLAB networks, and collaborate with students and hosts to finalize the necessary application, paperwork, and internship agreement. 

Once a student's internship placement is finalized, staff will work with each student's supervisor to ensure that the practicum goals are clearly articulated and a direct line of communication is established between the placement and the Brown in Washington program.

Applications

To apply for the Brown in Washington Semester Fellowship, please follow the link below to the VIA-TRM application portal. The application deadline for Fall 2023 is March 1, 2023.

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Housing

In the fall 2023 semester, students will be living in the city's most vibrant and happening neighborhoods. With Capitol Hill, H Street/Atlas and NoMa and Union Market districts outside your front door. The intersection of these three communities makes it easy to commute to the US Capitol Building, US Supreme Court, US House of Representatives, The US Senate, Union Station Amtrak and Metro Station, and Federal buildings. The housing is near the metro red line trains at Noma Gallaudet University station.

This housing, which is owned by Washington Intern Housing Network (WIHN), will offer shared rooms to Brown in Washington students during their semester in D.C. WIHN semester-based housing expenses are as follows for fall 2023: 

         $4,900 per resident for Double occupancy per semester session (4 per 2 BR)

Cost of Attendance

During the semester, tuition and fees for the program are the same as full-time enrollment at Brown in Providence. Housing, food/meals, travel, books, and other personal expenses are estimated at $10,000 for the semester, though expenses may vary according to individual spending habits and other factors. Brown students eligible for financial aid (with few exceptions) may use their aid for the Brown in Washington program and are strongly encouraged to discuss their eligibility with a counselor at Financial_Aid@Brown.edu. 

Timeline - Fall 2023 Semester Fellowship

Meet the Brown in Washington Cohorts

The Brown in Washington Summer SPRINT Signature Program is a paid opportunity with a stipend (and a Summer Earnings Waiver, for qualifying students) for undergraduate students to spend a summer as an intern with a Washington D.C.-based public agency or think tank focused on policy. Students intern at their site for 10 weeks and take part in co-curricular programming that provides them with rich learning experiences, valuable peer-to-peer support, and deep professional connections. 

In summer 2023, the base stipend for all SPRINT domestic opportunities is $2,500. In addition, aided students with parent contribution/responsibility of $15,001 and above will automatically receive a Gap Award of $2,000, for a total of $4,500. Similarly, aided students with parent contribution/responsibility of $15,000 and below will receive a Gap Award of $3,000 for a total of $5,500. Parent contribution/responsibility is determined by the Office of Financial Aid.  Eligible students may also qualify for a Summer Earnings Waiver. Supplemental funding may be available for eligible students. 

For summer 2023, the cohort will include up to 17 undergraduate students. Students are expected to participate in a required co-curriculum (approximately 2-5 hours per week) which will include facilitated discussions, written reflection assignments, and professional development workshops. The dates of the program are May 26, 2023 to August 4, 2023. 

The Brown in Washington Summer SPRINT Signature Program may satisfy the practicum requirement for students participating in the Engaged Scholarship Certificate.

Internships

Students may apply to an internship opportunity from a list of pre-selected partner organizations (list for 2023), or work with CareerLAB staff to identify and apply for policy-related internships that meet program criteria. 

Students are strongly encouraged to apply to internship opportunities on their own in late fall, before submitting the SPRINT application, as many think tanks and other organizations have summer internship application deadlines that are earlier than the SPRINT deadline. The organization and internship opportunity must meet the criteria of our program: a substantial internship in a policy-oriented organization that is over the course of 10 weeks and is a student's primary summer experience. This guide from CareerLAB is intended to help students independently secure internships in Washington D.C.

Internship placements must be focused on one or more of the following types of public policy opportunities:

• Policy research and development;
• Policy making (legislative, judicial, and executive); or
• Policy analysis and evaluation.

Summer placements are not permitted to involve advocacy work. For this reason, placements are primarily:

• Government: Federal Agencies, Senate and House Committees, Legislative Offices, D.C. City Agencies and Government Offices
• Think-tanks, policy institutes, or research centers
• In particular cases, placement may be made in another type of organization, so long as the work is policy-oriented and not advocacy-related.

Application

Applications for 2023 summer opportunities, including Brown in Washington, have been consolidated under the SPRINT (Summer/Semester Projects for Research, Internship, Teaching) Signature Programs umbrella. Applications can be found in Ufunds. To learn more about SPRINT awards, review the FAQs.

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Housing

Students are responsible for sourcing and paying for their own DC-based housing in Summer 2023. Review this list of Summer 2023 housing Opportunities. 

Eligibility

Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are enrolled in spring 2023 and fall 2023 are eligible to apply for SPRINTs. The program is open to students from any concentration. Students must be available during the entire duration of the program. Graduating seniors (May '23) are not eligible. International students are eligible to apply, but should review SPRINT FAQs about receiving an award from Brown as an international student.

The Brown in Washington SPRINT Summer program is one of the BrownConnect Signature Programs. Students who have received summer funding from BrownConnect (LINK, UTRA, and Signature Programs including Swearer Center programs) in a previous summer will not receive priority consideration but are eligible to apply again. Receiving a previous academic year UTRA will not impact a student’s eligibility for a summer SPRINT. Supporting students on Brown University financial aid—particularly students with the highest demonstrated financial need—is the primary priority of the College for available summer funding.

Students will be in Washington D.C. in the fall and spring semesters and are available for 20-25 hours per week. If you are interested in hosting an intern, please complete this intake form. Please contact Brown-In-Washington-DC@brown.edu with questions.

Brown in Washington Fall 2022 Cohort

Brown in Washington Summer 2022 Cohort