Academic Internship Program

Experience Employers Look For

Connections Make the Difference

Intern in D.C., Succeed Anywhere 

Experience
Employers Look For

You're working hard in college, but a degree alone isn’t enough to stand out in today’s job market. Research from the Strada Education Foundation and Burning Glass Institute shows that 52% of recent college graduates are underemployed within a year after graduation, often stuck in jobs that don't require a degree. 


Employers want more than a solid GPA and campus involvement. They're looking for candidates who already have industry-specific experience, professional skills and a demonstrated ability to deliver results. These are the assets you’ll gain during a summer or semester with TWC, along with the career direction to know what you're building toward. 

Landing an Internship 

The demand for internships is at an all-time high. Standing out in this environment takes strategy, support and the right connections.  
Through TWC, you'll have access to internship opportunities with our employer partners in the D.C. area. Your TWC Program Advisor will work with you to identify roles that align with your interests, and because our partners already know and trust us, we can advocate for you, too. 

Preparation and Internship Search  

Takes place online three to four months before you arrive in D.C. 

Throughout your internship search, your TWC Program Advisor will be by your side, offering tailored advice, helping you polish your application materials, prepping you for interviews and working with you to secure an internship.  


Gaining Professional Experience 

The National Association of Colleges and Employers' 2026 Job Outlook survey ranks internship experience as the most influential factor employers use when choosing between equally qualified candidates, ahead of major and GPA. 
TWC connects you with high-quality internships that offer meaningful responsibilities, constructive feedback from supervisors and opportunities to build transferable skills. Whether your internship is in-person, remote or hybrid, it’s a full-time position, giving you the time to build relationships with your colleagues and take on substantive projects. 

Our TWC intern left her mark on our newsroom. She contributed in meetings, made phone calls to support the assignment desk and worked with producers to perfect her broadcast writing. Her curiosity was that of a seasoned journalist

Kyle Carmean, Vice President of News and Content at Fox5 WTTG 

Ethan Espenship

Interned with DACOR Bacon House Foundation

Jessica Enriquez Vargas  

Interned with the Law Offices of Karp, Norwind, Gold & Karp

Vy Tran

Interned with D/Lai Ice Cream

Transferred historic artifacts from an exhibit and cataloged each item to ensure preservation.

Supported client casework while gaining expertise in legal analysis.

Landed the company's first corporate catering sale and expanded their digital presence.

See What Kind of Work You Could Do

Preparing for What's Next

It’s hard to make the most of your internship experience if you can’t see what you’re building toward. That’s why TWC works with you beyond your internship, helping you gain clarity on your career path and build the skills and connections to pursue it. 
By the end of the program, 87% of students agreed they had a better understanding of potential career paths ahead. Here’s how they get there:  

TWC Programming

Academic Course  

One night each week, you’ll attend a course that bridges classroom theory and real-world application, taught by professors who are also active professionals in their field. You’ll choose a course from a variety of options. 


Sample Courses: Foundations of Project Management, International Business: Case Studies in Strategic Trade Management, International Organizations and Humanitarian Law, Media Management, Political Psychology, Research & Writing, U.S. Foreign Policy


Career Readiness Programming 

On select Friday mornings, you'll attend TWC Development Day sessions covering topics that are rarely taught in the classroom but are crucial in the job market and the workplace.  


Sample Sessions: AI in the Workplace, Landing Your First Job, Leveraging LinkedIn, Negotiating Salary and Benefits, Networking 101, Generations in the Workplace 

TWC's Career Readiness Programming helped me learn how to be a professional, especially in a world where human interaction matters more than ever. If you can't deliver an elevator pitch or carry yourself professionally in an office, you won't get hired.

Marijose Meizoso, interned with Young Mothers, Inc.

In the afternoons, you'll hear directly from TWC alumni and other industry professionals about their career journeys and get a behind-the-scenes look at the work and roles inside some of D.C.'s most influential organizations. 


Sample Site Visits: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), National Guard Museum, Smithsonian Museums

The tour of EEOC was genuinely exciting because the woman leading our tour told me she wanted to interview me for an internship with them next fall. That kind of spontaneous professional connection is exactly what D.C. makes possible.

Elyssa Looney, interned with the Law Offices of Todd S. Baldwin

Day in the Life  

Internship Day 

You’ll work full time at an in-person, remote or hybrid internship. 

8:00 a.m.      Walk to the Metro to head to my internship 


9:00 a.m.      Eat breakfast provided by my internship site  


1:00 p.m.      Lunch at Sweetgreen 


2:00 p.m.      Worked with team to develop curriculum for LI participants  


5:00 p.m.      Walk to the Metro for ride back to apartment  


5:30 p.m.      Quick stop by the grocery store or  farmer’s market  


6:00 p.m.      Cook dinner with roommates 


8:00 p.m.      Relaxing and prep for the next day 

Lana Stewart, interned with Leaders Institute

Friday Development Day

On select Fridays, you’ll engage in TWC-led workshops and site visits around D.C. 

9:00 a.m.       Attend TWC session on networking  


10:00 a.m.     Attend TWC session on professional communication 


11:00 a.m.     Eat quick lunch in my apartment  


12:00 p.m.     Ride Metro to TWC site visit  


1:00 p.m.       Arrive at Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
                      (EEOC) for site visit 


1:30 p.m.       Hear from EEOC staff and tour building  


3:30 p.m.       Ride Metro back to my apartment  


5:30 p.m.       Head to dinner at Union Market 

Chloe Campbell, interned with Corazon Latino

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