Interested in public policy and government? Come study it in Washington, D.C.

The SUNY Brockport Washington Summer Program is an eight-week, full-time internship that takes place in the nation’s capital — Washington, D.C. The program is designed for students who want to witness the policy-making process outside the classroom and is open to all majors.

John Fitzpatrick, program director and visiting assistant professor of political science at SUNY Brockport, said he firmly believes the program instills important skills like self-confidence.

“SUNY students are sometimes unsure of their ability to compete,” Fitzpatrick said. “They shouldn’t be. They get a great education, have a good work ethic and do extremely well in Washington.”

In fact, program alumni have secured private and public sector jobs in Washington. According to Fitzpatrick, many currently hold jobs in “top congressional, White House, judicial [and] non-governmental policy positions.”

Some have been able to serve as campaign staff in presidential, congressional and local elections. Scott Horowitz, an alumnus of Binghamton University, interned at the Senate Democratic Communications Office and immediately got a job at the office of Rep. John Hall (D-NY), Fitzpatrick said.

Students can choose from 750 different offices and organizations, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, American Public Health Association, Environmental Health Institute, Physicians for Human Rights, Amnesty International and Embassy of Japan. While the number of prestigious opportunities can be overwhelming, the program’s staff promises to guide and assist students with their internship and research objectives.

Participants intern 40 hours per week and earn six hours of credit, either with their home school or SUNY Brockport. They can also hear seminars given by guest speakers in their respective field of public policy or policy-making process.

The program requires students to write a final five-page evaluation of their internship, complete four short papers on topics covered by the guest speakers and keep a journal of the internship experience.

Schools participating in the SUNY Brockport Washington Program include SUNY Brockport, Buffalo State, Canton, Cortland, Fredonia, Geneseo, New Paltz, Old Westbury, Oneonta, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam and Purchase in addition to the SUNY University Centers at Binghamton, Buffalo and Stony Brook.

SUNY Brockport also offers a fall internship program which allows students the opportunity to publish their research paper in The Journal of Public Policy and the Policy-Making Process.

According to the program’s Web site, students can also intern four days a week at sites similar to those offered in the summer, which include “congressional offices, executive agencies, the Supreme Court, political party organizations, interest groups or think tanks.” Students are also expected to attend seminar classes one day a week.

The program starts on June 8 and ends on July 31. Although the deadline for the summer program is April 15, the staff advises prospective students to apply early to secure priority internships. For more information, visit the Career Development Center.