Approximately 40 FIU students are now living in the nation’s capital to complete summer internships in governmental agencies, media outlets and corporate offices. To kick off this experience, FIU faculty and administration hosted a send-off ceremony at the Modesto Maidique Campus and an intern orientation at the new FIU in D.C. offices last month.
FIU’s Office of Governmental Relations hosted its annual intern send-off on May 17 to celebrate the many FIU students who have secured summer internships in Washington, D.C. Many members of the university’s administration joined in wishing them well.
“We are very proud to have all of you interning in D.C. and through The Washington Center and other independent opportunities,” said Dean John F. Stack of the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs. “Make the most of your internship because this is the beginning of your goals and professional life.”
For many students, the months interning in D.C. over the summer will be the first independent living experiences they have had. As such, the university views this as a time to embrace not only professional development, but also personal growth that will lead to increased confidence, success and skills as a team player.
In order to afford this opportunity to an increased number of students every year, FIU has established a partnership with The Washington Center in D.C., an organization that places students in internships and academic seminars relevant to their interests, while providing them with dormitory housing.
“FIU has been able to place so many students at The Washington Center, I feel as though this is a great opportunity that another school may not have been able to provide me,” said Michael Carabello, FIU student and summer intern for the Council of States Government via The Washington Center.
But many FIU students have also worked to attain their D.C. internships in the public and private sectors independently. Aura Ordonez, a junior studying law at FIU, secured an internship at a criminal law office in Virginia for the summer to gain real-world experience in the field she enjoys, and determine whether or not criminal law is the type of law she will continue to study in the pursuit of her Juris Doctor.
Lucius Jackson, an international relations student and delegate of the FIU Model United Nations team, will be working with the U.S. Dept. of State this summer and is excited to put his studies into practice. He counts this as a steppingstone toward a career in the Foreign Service.
Among other students taking the District with internships this summer, Daniela Cediel will stand as the sole FIU representative in the White House, and she is grateful to her family, professors, and the FIU staff in D.C. for their support in this achievement.
“We are here to provide resources, tools and support for life beyond the summer,” said Assistant Vice President of FIU Federal Relations Carlos A. Becerra.
On May 28, the FIU in D.C. teamwelcomed student interns to Washington with an orientation in its new office, where students practiced elevator pitches and how to perfect their LinkedIn profiles while learning all about the resources offered at FIU in D.C.
Interns can expect a full calendar of networking and professional development events this summer as the FIU in D.C. team asserts the importance of an immersive experience in the nation’s capital that transcends the physical workplace.
To connect with FIU Career & Internship Success Manager Ethan Starkey, emailethan.starkey@fiu.edu. To learn more about FIU in D.C., visit washingtondc.fiu.edu, or follow the endeavor on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
