Green School receives top award for promoting student internships in D.C. The university is the No. 2 contributor of student interns to The Washington Center from more than 400 partner institutions around the country Each year, college and university students from around the world converge on our nation’s capital to pursue real-life experience in government, nonprofit organizations, public and private foundations and corporations. Many of them find their way to D.C. through The Washington Center, an independent nonprofit that connects young people to experiential learning opportunities in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
Natalia Kolbjornsen ’17 landed an internship in Washington, D.C., through The Washington Center.
Since FIU began collaborating with the center in 2012, the university has become one of the top contributors to the organization’s pipeline of young talent. “FIU exemplifies the best of our partners, with its deep commitment to providing opportunities for transformational internship experiences to their students,” said Saima Siddiqui, vice president for development, alumni and university relations at the center. “FIU has been one of the most consistent contributors to our enrollment, routinely ranking among the very top of our partner institutions.” In fact, for the past five years, FIU has sent more students to internships through the center than any other university in Florida, with more than 200 students traveling to D.C. for positions – nearly a quarter of all the students from Florida. This year, FIU was the No. 2 contributor of student interns to the Washington Center from more than 400 partner institutions around the country, with 28 students placed in internships in 2019. In October, the center recognized FIU with its Higher Education Impact Award at the 2019 annual scholarship dinner. “This year’s theme is “Bridging to the Future,” and we feel that FIU exemplifies leadership and impact in higher education and continues to play a substantial role in creating access for students to participate in these transformative experiences,’’ Siddiqui said. While the internships are open to all students at FIU, the partnership is overseen by the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs, with support from FIU’s Career and Talent Development Department, as well as FIU in DC, the university’s hub in the capital.
Creating a Just, Peaceful and Prosperous World
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