Capital Connections, a new Study USA program, is open to rising juniors and seniors who will live and learn in Washington, D.C., with opportunities to join Semiquincentennial celebrations when the United States of America turns 250.
Interested in spending the summer earning academic credit while interning in Washington, D.C., during the 250th anniversary year of the signing of the Declaration of Independence?
Open to all majors, Study USA’s Capital Connections: An Elon Core Capstone and Internship in Washington, D.C., gives rising juniors and seniors the opportunity to make the nation’s capital their classroom while gaining professional experience.
Taught and guided in the first year by Associate Professor Joel Shelton in the Department of Political Science and Public Policy, students will learn in the classroom, on guided excursions and explore connections between power, institutions, culture and economy.
“The Capital Connections program is designed to engage students across the university,” Shelton said. “If you are interested in politics and policy, Washington, D.C., is the obvious choice, but Washington, D.C. is also a global city that is home to world-class cultural institutions and a dynamic and diversified economic landscape. It’s a great place to learn about and experience public architecture and urban planning, and to explore opportunities and challenges facing different communities that call the district home.
“Our goal is for students across a range of programs to find something about themselves and their interests reflected in the curriculum. Whatever your major, living, working and studying in Washington, D.C., will help you become a knowledgeable professional at home in the world.”
The deadline to apply for the Capital Connections program is Dec. 1. Participants will take a pre-departure course with the Student Professional Development Center to gain the skills and resources needed to succeed in Washington, D.C.
The first year of the program runs late May through the end of July. Each student takes a four-credit core capstone seminar, Capital Connections: Power, People, and Place in Washington, D.C., and enrolls in up to four hours of internship credit. Throughout the program, students will connect with industry leaders, engage with Elon alumni living and working in the capital, gain valuable career readiness training and build professional, cultural and social capital.
In addition to the course and internship, an integral part of the program includes site visits and meet-ups that connect classroom learning to life in Washington, D.C.
“Students will live like locals by commuting to internship sites, walking neighborhoods, experiencing world-class theatre and street festivals, cheering on the Washington Nationals, and exploring museums and monuments across the district,” Shelton said. “We will visit Congress alongside Elon alumni, see democracy in action through conversations with D.C. officials and connect with local activists and community organizations. Because the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence will be celebrated during the summer session, we will build experiences and reflections on this anniversary into the programming.”
The course is designed to introduce students to aspects of the city and its people that tourists often overlook. Drawing on perspectives from sociology, geography, political science and public policy, history, economics, journalism, museum studies and environmental studies, the course will bring these different areas together to examine how power, culture, economy and identity intersect in the nation’s capital.
“Sometimes it can be challenging for students to link their academic interests in the liberal arts and sciences to a specific career path,” Shelton said. “The Capital Connections program supports students’ professional development through mentored internship experiences in a city that offers opportunities across sectors, not just in government. “Students interested in ‘trying out’ Washington, D.C. before a potential move would benefit from being in this program.”
Shelton added that a Washington, D.C.-based program connecting education in the arts, humanities, and the social, behavioral and natural sciences with professional development opportunities will be especially valuable for students and will strengthen the liberal arts core of the university.
“Capital Connections is a bold step forward for Study USA,” said Ronice Johnson-Guy, director, Study USA. “Under Professor Joel Shelton’s dynamic leadership, students will experience Washington, D.C., as a living classroom, engaging with the city’s institutions, leaders and communities while connecting their studies to the real-world experiences through mentorship, reflection and purpose. I’m confident students will return with new perspectives, stronger connections, and a clearer sense of how they can make an impact.”
Expanding academic and professional development opportunities for students in D.C. aligns with the goals of the Boldly Elon strategic plan.
“It is exciting to see the committee’s hard work pay off with our very own, Elon faculty-led, signature summer program coming to fruition,” said Ashley Pinney, director, National Campus Programs. “Based on the strong application numbers, it’s clear that students are enthusiastic about living and working in D.C., and we love seeing that enthusiasm.”
The launching of the Capital Connections program reflects a two-year collaborative effort between Study USA, Elon’s National Campus Programs, the SPDC, Alumni Engagement and faculty across the university.