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Spend a semester in the nation's capital
By Michele Clute '06
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Are you interested in studying abroad for a semester, but not sure where you want to go, or if you want to study in another language? Great news, Sweet Briar has a great deal with American University in Washington, D.C. Not only will all your financial aid transfer with you to this unique and exciting program, but you get a chance to experience life in our nation’s capital! The Washington Semester Program will give you an experience unlike that of Junior Year in France, Spain, Italy or Scotland. At American University you get the opportunity to make lifetime contacts with professionals and politicians, as well as the chance to intern twice a week anywhere in Washington, D.C., which leaves only three days per week in the classroom. And the classroom is nothing like typical structured lectures. Instead the classroom experience happens all over D.C. That’s right - most of your classes are meetings with ambassadors, senators, members of Congress, representatives of political think-tanks, judges – essentially all the amazing people that make Washington, DC and our country run.

The Washington Semester will give you a chance to go beyond academics and study an area of real-world application. There are at least a dozen programs of study, creating class sizes of about 20 students, female and male, from all over the world. Programs of study include: Transforming Communities, Foreign Policy, American Politics, Peace & Conflict Resolution (went to the Balkans for three weeks last spring), Economic Policy, Journalism, Public Law, Law Enforcement, Justice, International Environment & Development (went to Africa for three weeks last spring), and International Business & Trade.

Last spring, I chose to attend the Transforming Communities program because I had no clue what I wanted to do after graduating from SBC with a bachelor of arts in psychology and anthropology, with a minor in women and gender studies. All of these subjects are interesting to me, but could be very broad in their application. The program I decided to do has since greatly shaped my career aspirations. I interned for an internet-based child-welfare advocacy organization, located two blocks from the White House. I met with a Republican and Democrat in the Ways and Means Committee who discussed welfare reform. My class explored the most rundown and dangerous city in our country, including Anacostia (southeast district of D.C.), and got an opportunity to see the HOPE VI projects in action and to meet with independent contractors that were redesigning this section of DC to clean it up, eradicate its crime, and employ and educate its people. In addition to hearing speakers and visiting sites, I also got a chance to experience the weekend and night life of Washington, DC!

For anyone interested in more information about the Washington Semester programs or the excitement of living in DC, contact Michele Clute at clute06@sbc.edu, or look online at www.washingtonsemester.com.