TWC Affiliation Guide 09

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Institutional Affiliation

Guide 2009

The Washington Center

for Internships and Academic Seminars

1333 16th N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-2205 | Phone 202.238.7900 | Fax 202.238.7700 | [email protected]



Table of Contents

03

Background

04

Why Institutions Aff iliate with The Washington Center

Academic Quality at The Washington Center

05

The Washington Center Advantage

06

How an Institution Affiliates with The Washington Center

How Colleges and Universities Handle Af filiation

The Campus Liaison

07

Credit Arrangements

Internship Program

08

Suggestions for Additional Credits

09

Academic Seminars

10

Billing and Fee Arrangements

12

Financial AssistanceFor More Information

For current program and housing information, please refer to The Washington Center Viewbook for 2008

The Washington Center actively strives for equal access to its programs for all regardless of race, religion, nationalorigin, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical challenge, or veteran status. All Washington Center programsattempt to include a rich diversity of students in order to enhance the educational experience for all its participants.



03

B a c k g r o u n d

The mission of The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars is to provide an integrated academic

and work experience to prepare college students and professionals for lives of achievement and civic engagement.

An independent nonprofit educational organization that enables students to earn college credit for full-time internship-

centered academic terms and short-term academic seminars, it is selected by more colleges and universities as their

Washington partner than any other organization. Since its founding in 1975 by William and Sheila Burke of the

University of Massachusetts at Amherst, The Washington Center has provided more than 40,000 students, in all

majors, with professional career experiences and course work.

Students are placed, according to their interests, in substantive, supervised internships in the government, for-profit

or nonprofit sectors as well as in international organizations. They also participate in one of a dozen thematically-

organized programs (for example, The Political Leadership Program, the Science and Policy Program, or the

Advocacy, Service and Arts Program); they take an academic course, chosen from among 35 to 50 offered; and they

attend and take part in a range of events within the Leadership Forum, including the President’s Lecture Series,

Public Policy Dialogues on Capital Hill, Embassy Visits Program, briefings, tours, workshops and other special

activities.

The Washington Center also offers summer programs combining short-term seminars in Washington, D.C. with

internships and academic courses abroad. Students may participate in one of three ten-week programs in

predominantly English-speaking settings: London, England; Oxford, England, and Sydney, Australia. For students

proficient in French, we offer a program in Quebec City, Canada.

In addition to its semester- or term-long internship program, The Washington Center offers a variety of one- and two-

week-long academic seminars that expose students to national and world issues through interaction

with policy-makers and leaders in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Every four years, special academic

seminars are also offered on-site at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

The Washington Center offers cost-effective, high-quality educational services designed to extend and complementother on- and off-campus programs of higher education institutions. More than 1,000 colleges and universities, large

and small, public and private, have taken advantage of these services. The Washington Center's 70 full-time

professional staff members provide students with services customarily available on their campus as well as

educational experiences that utilize the wealth of resources in the nation's capital and other locations.

Funding is derived primarily from program and housing fees paid by institutions, students or scholarship-providing

entities. This past year, we raised and distributed to our students approximately $5 million in financial assistance. On

average, about 75 percent of Washington Center students receive some form of financial assistance.

Business offices are currently located at 1333 16th Street, N.W., just five blocks north of the White House and one

block north of Scott Circle. Our administrative headquarters building is a turn-of-the-century mansion acquired in

2006 with the generous assistance of the Goldman Sachs Foundation. Our Academic Center, containing five well-equipped classrooms, is adjacent. Student housing facilities are located in professional-style apartment buildings,

most of them in suburban Maryland and the Arlington and Alexandria areas of Northern Virginia.

The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars



04

W h y I n s t i t u t i o n s A f f i l i a t e w i t h T h e W a s h i n g t o n C e n t e r

Institutions work with The Washington Center in order to provide their students affordable, high- quality, internship-

centered academic terms in the nation’s capital and abroad. Colleges and universities can mount such programs

through us with a fraction of the expense and liability – and with far more assurance of quality – than they would have

were they to try establishing a program on their own. The scale of The Washington Center alone gives it unparalleled

access to numbers and types of possible placement sites, speakers, and other academic resources.

Institutions affiliate (as opposed to merely sending students) in order to establish specific guidelines for their

students' participation in Washington Center programs. Through an affiliation agreement, the institution outlines

arrangements for billing, awarding of credit and application procedures for either the internship program or academic

seminars, or both. Thus, when a student applies to a program, The Washington Center is able to follow the

guidelines previously set by the student's college or university. There is no charge for affiliation, and terms of

affiliation may be changed at any time. The agreement merely enables our staff to represent the institution’s policies

to students accurately and facilitates the credit-granting and billing arrangements for students who apply.

At non-affiliated institutions, students lack these guidelines for participation. Each student must individually resolve

issues regarding credit, fees and faculty sponsorship without official support or endorsement from the institution.

Often this process can be confusing and time-consuming, and it can discourage students from participating.

Liaisons, faculty and students at affiliated institutions enjoy some distinctive benefits. Provided that they meet The

Washington Center's admission criteria, students recommended for admission by affiliated institutions are given

preference for acceptance, and they receive priority consideration for financial assistance. Faculty are given priority

in the selection of faculty leaders for the academic seminars (and if chosen receive free housing and a stipend).

Liaisons may be selected to serve on The Washington Center's national Liaison Advisory Board.

Finally, affiliation is an institutional asset. It can help attract and retain academically talented, motivated students. It

helps position the institution as one connected to the larger world and supportive of public service and other forms

of civic engagement. For these reasons, affiliated colleges and universities often include their Washington Centerprogram in their admissions catalogs and recruitment materials, course listings, alumni newsletters and other

publications, as well as on their websites. Feature articles about student experiences in Washington offer compelling

examples of the educational opportunities open to students at those institutions.

A c a d e m i c Q u a l i t y a t T h e W a s h i n g t o n C e n t e r

The Washington Center recognizes that institutions awarding academic credit for student participation in its programs

expect, at a minimum, the same level of quality that the institution provides its students on campus. To ensure the

quality of offerings and to meet accreditation standards, the senior vice presidents of The Washington Center keep

abreast of campus requirements and expectations. We work closely with campus liaisons. Also, The WashingtonCenter adheres to academic policies and standards developed by its national Liaison Advisory Board, a group

composed of faculty and administrators from affiliated campuses. Additional advice on academic matters is provided

by the Council of Presidents, composed of the presidents of some of our leading institutions. A complete membership

list of Washington Center advisory boards is available by request, as is a list of academic program staff and their

academic degrees.

Whenever feasible, The Washington Center encourages faculty involvement from affiliated institutions. This includes

occasional visits to observe the participation of students and evaluation by staff, participation in academic seminars,

or service as a member of the Liaison Advisory Board.




05

T h e W a s h i n g t o n C e n t e r A d v a n t a g e

There are numerous reasons The Washington Center has become the nation's leading - and largest - provider of

internship-centered academic terms. In the interest of brevity a bulleted summary of some key ones follows:

a 33-year record of, and national recognition for, providing quality experiential education programs

an alumni base of more than 40,000

a distinguished, diverse, and engaged board of directors

distinguished liaison and presidential advisory boards that review the standards of Washington Center

programming

a strong staff of 70 dedicated professionals

a comprehensive institutional relations program with over 1,000 colleges and universities nationwide and

abroad

a successful record of outreach to diverse groups and individuals

financial assistance from a wide variety of states, corporations, foundations, placement agencies and individua

contributors, providing approximately $5 million in financial assistance awards yearly

internships available to all students at participating institutions, regardless of major; students may choose our

domestic program based in Washington, D.C. or instead may choose one of our intern abroad programs in

London, England; Oxford, England; Sydney, Australia, or Quebec City, Canada.

credit awarded through the student's home institution, not by a third party or institution

no need for student to enroll in a potentially competing institution

students' eligibility for f inancial aid and other considerations such as election to honor societies and leadershi

awards unaf fected, as they remain enrolled on the home campus

some or all of tuition income retained by home institution

control of academic criteria and grading retained by home institution

supervised housing guaranteed for all Washington Center program participants

opportunities for institutional advancement efforts tied to civic engagement, public service and other

institutional priorities or programs served through affiliation

reputation as an "honors" internship program provision of a strong peer group for students (the mean grade point average of participants exceeds 3.3)

contact with over 4,000 potential placement sites annually

supervised internships that provide substantive, responsible assignments that are tailored to students'

individual interests; these are full-time "first-professional" experiences of the type students increasingly seek

a professional staff of program managers with graduate degrees qualified to counsel, supervise and evaluate interns

academic requirements for admission that include a comprehensive application and essays for careful

consideration and placement

special attention to early-deadline requests for highly competitive placements including those that require

security clearances

the Leadership Forum consisting of Public Policy Dialogues on Capitol Hill, the President’s Lecture Series,

Embassy Visits Program, and small group activities - all of which complement the internship and academic

course and introduce students to prominent leaders from the U.S. and other countries. a portfolio system of learning that provides documentation and analysis of the student's experience and can

be customized to suit campus requirements; comprehensive midterm and final evaluations also provided

short-term academic seminars that focus on contemporary issues and leadership (e.g., Inside

Washington '08)

secure, convenient, professional-style housing, mostly in Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland, with easy

access to shopping and Washington's Metro subway system

furnished apartments with fully-equipped kitchens, cable television and other amenities

full-time student services prof essionals and a resident assistant staff with regular duty and on-call service hours

association with a geographically diverse group from both public and private institutions in the U.S., and with

international students from Canada, Mexico, China, Korea and other parts of the world

regularly scheduled social and cultural activities organized by student services staff




06

H o w a n I n s t i t u t i o n A f f i l i a t e s w i t h T h e W a s h i n g t o n C e n t e r

The president or chief academic officer of the institution sends a completed Institutional Affiliation Agreement (If a

copy is needed, please call The Washington Center's Office of Institutional Relations at 202-238-7948, or download

one from the website at http://www.twc.edu/schools/docs_forms.shtml). Alternatively, the president or chief academic

officer may send a letter to the president of The Washington Center. If a letter is used as the agreement instrument, it

should address the following:

1. the name of the designated campus liaison

2. the institutional contact who should receive the invoice for program and housing fees for

both internship and seminar participants

3. the number and type of credits that will be awarded for successful completion of programs

A formal contract may also be submitted if the institution requires it for billing purposes. Again, the purpose of these

written agreements is to provide basic guidelines for student participation that respect the academic standards and

financial resources of each institution. Billing, credit and liaison arrangements may be modified by the college or

university at any time by notifying The Washington Center.

H o w C o l l e g e s a n d U n i v e r s i t i e s H a n d l e A f f i l i a t i o n

The affiliation is a no-cost, revocable agreement that simply establishes a campus liaison, credit guidelines, and

billing procedures for student participation in Washington Center programs. Arrangements vary considerably among

affiliated colleges and universities. The following sections suggest typical arrangements, as well as variations.

Questions or drafts of agreements may be addressed to Joseph Johnston, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of The

Washington Center, at 202-238-7948 or [email protected].

T h e C a m p u s L i a i s o n

The campus liaison plays a central role in an institution's participation with The Washington Center. The

liaison is responsible for distributing materials to publicize and promote Washington Center programs to students.

The liaison will also approve all applicants by signing their applications. In evaluating students, the liaison may grant

credit directly or work with faculty in different departments. Washington Center liaisons have positions such as

professor of political science, assistant to the provost, director of the honors program, associate dean of arts and

science, director of internships or cooperative education, or director of career services. The liaison should be

accessible to all students regardless of major and should be familiar with independent study options. All

internship applications and seminar registration forms must bear the liaison's signature. The Washington Center's

evaluations of participating students are sent directly to the campus liaison. Depending on the size and organizationof the institution, more than one liaison—or a primary liaison and one or more other co-liaisons or designated

contacts—may be appropriate. The Washington Center should be informed when more than one individual is

designated.

When the liaison is part of an academic department, participation tends to be highest among students in that

department. If the liaison is in an office such as Career Services, access to students in all majors may be greater,

but granting credit may be more difficult. When deciding who will serve as liaison, please take into consideration the

ability to publicize and administer an off-campus program, accessibility to students, options for granting credit, and

especially enthusiasm for experiential education activities. The identification of a liaison rests with the institution and

may be changed at any time by notifying The Washington Center.




07 The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars

C r e d i t A r r a n g e m e n t s

The Washington Center has academic requirements for student participation in our programs and provides

evaluations of student performance, but students’ home institutions enroll them and provide academic credit.

The Washington Center provides specialized, professional staff to place, supervise, and evaluate students. It also

provides substantial documentation of student performance in the form of student portfolios, evaluations and grade

recommendations from site supervisors, program advisors and course instructors. The institution, however, retains full

academic control, including the prerogative to determine prerequisites, the amount and type of credits to be awarded,

the types of grades (pass/fail or letter grades)to be awarded, and reporting requirements. The affiliation agreement

should specify credit arrangements (major, elective, etc.) and eligibility requirements for both the internship and

academic seminar programs.

The descriptions found below detailing how an institution may award credit apply to our domestic internship progams.

For information on how credit might be structured for our intern abroad programs, email [email protected].

I n t e r n s h i p P r o g r a m

Typically, colleges and universities award 12 to 15 credit hours for successful completion of a fifteen-week semester

and 9 to 12 credit hours for a ten-week quarter or term. Numerous institutions award credit through a single course

number. All components of The Washington Center program – four-and-a-half-day internship, academic course, and

Leadership Forum (see below) – are together assigned a block of academic credit, and this credit assigned one grade

(or graded on a pass –fail basis)

Other institutions award credit through multiple courses, which may be of different types (major, elective, etc.) and for

which students may be awarded different grades. They distinguish in doing so among the following components, often

assigning them the recommended amounts of credit indicated:

1. The full-time (minimum 35 hours per week) internship: 6-12 credits recommended, dependingupon the length of the term (10 weeks in the summer term or 15 weeks in the fall or spring semester)

and any additional campus requirements. Evaluation is based upon submission of student

portfolio documents, agency supervisor evaluations (midterm and final), and evaluations by the

student's Washington Center program advisor (midterm and final). The student's agency

supervisor recommends a grade, and The Washington Center program advisor gives an overall

evaluation of the student's work (based in large part on the portfolio) and recommends a final

internship grade.

2. The Washington Center evening course required of all interns: 3 credits. This course, taught by

a qualified instructor with an appropriate – in all but a few instances terminal -- degree, and university

teaching experience, requires a combination of regular attendance, active class participation, written

work (research paper, essays, examinations), and class projects. Students are given a list of coursesprior to arrival and indicate their choice of courses. Classes meet up to 3 hours each week. Classes

are held in The Washington Center’s Academic Center or other convenient locations, including

nearby university campuses.

3. The Leadership Forum (a required half-day of academic programming): 1-3 credits. This includes

student attendance at the Public Policy Dialogues on Capitol Hill, President’s Lecture Series,

Embassy Visits Program, site visits, tours, panel discussions, briefings, and other activities. The

purpose of the Leadership Forum is to help all students better understand the world of the nation's

capital - its peoples and institutions, its political processes, the issues debated and the policies forged



08

there - and the potential impact of these on the students' future lives as professionals and citizens.

Since evaluation of Leadership Forum activities is included as part of the student's internship

portfolio, some schools fold this evaluation into the total number of credits for the internship program

(see number 1 above).

S u g g e s t i o n s f o r A d d i t i o n a l C r e d i t s

For any institution sending students to The Washington Center during the academic year, the main goal should be to

put together a package of credits equal to at least the number of credits that will allow the students to retain full-time

status and thus receive full financial aid and other considerations. To accomplish this, some institutions “layer” an

additional requirement on top of those of The Washington Center.

Examples of institutional requirements that might earn students additional credit include:

1. Research paper: 3-6 credits, depending upon length, research required and other academic

considerations. The research paper is graded by a designated individual at the student's homeinstitution. Institutions that require a long paper may require their students to take The Washington

Center's regularly-offered Research and Writing Seminar course in place of, or in addition to, the

usual required internship course.

2. Academic journal: 3 credits. This is usually a structured writing assignment that involves regular

submissions according to a predetermined schedule and submission at the end of the internship to

the appropriate institutional contact.

3. Case study: 1-3 credits. This is an in-depth examination of an organization and its response to a

problem, crisis, or organizational change. Students may be required to conduct informational

interviews or examine original documentation in order to complete the analysis.


Internship 6 credit hours

Course 3 credit hours

Leadership Forum 3 credit hours

Total

Internship 9 credit hours

Course 3 credit hours

Journal or

Research Paper 3 credit hours

Total

S a m p l e 1 S a m p l e 2

12 semester credit hours 15 semester credit hours

Quarter and Summer Term credits can be adjusted accordingly.



A c a d e m i c S e m i n a r s

The Washington Center’s academic seminars are short-term participatory learning programs that involve major

speakers, site visits, small group discussion sessions, workshops, and other planned activities allowing students to

explore specific topics under the guidance of qualified faculty. Some programs have additional components, such as

fieldwork assignments and mentor-for-a-day activities. Students are required to attend and participate in seminar

sessions, complete reading assignments, complete a structured academic journal, and prepare an essay.

Currently, The Washington Center offers academic seminars each January, and in May and/or August.

For a number of years, The Washington Center has been presenting seminars entitled “Inside Washington” that focus

on politics, the presidency, the Congress, and the media. During presidential election years, we usually offer a series

of seminars that focus on the presidential race, followed by programs on-site at the Democratic and Republican

National Conventions and culminating with a special January program on the presidential inauguration. Enrollments

in the January Seminars and Convention Programs are separate. International seminars, including a recent series of

summer offerings entitled Camp David III, expose participants to Arab-Israeli peace negotiations and the broader

issue of conflict resolution.

For the 2009 seminar schedule, please visit our website at http://www.twc.edu/students/seminars.shtml.

Most institutions award academic credit for successful completion of an academic seminar as follows:

One-week seminar: 1-2 credits

Two-week seminar: 2-4 credits

Academic credit is awarded by most institutions based on the evaluation provided by The Washington Center, as well

as the student's completion of any additional requirements that the institution deems appropriate (e.g. a research

paper). Students from semester schools sometimes register for these credits in the fall or spring semester precedingor following the academic seminar. The Washington Center does not require students to enroll for academic credit

for our academic seminars. However, with the considerable work involved, credit is appropriate and an option most

students would appreciate.

The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars09



10

B i l l i n g a n d F e e A r r a n g e m e n t s

There are three costs to consider in determining fee arrangements for students participating in Washington Center

programs:

1. Tuition or administrative fees charged by the college or university

2. Washington Center program fees

3. Washington Center housing fees

Billing and Fee Arrangements at Private Institutions

Most private institutions pay The Washington Center's program fees while charging the student regular college or

university tuition for the term or semester. At some institutions, where tuition far exceeds The Washington Center's

program fees, the institution pays both the program and housing fees.

The examples that follow do not take into account any financial assistance the student may receive from The

Washington Center, and reflect the costs associated with our domestic internship programs (contact

[email protected] for fees associated with our intern abroad programs):

Private College or University Tuition: $11,800 per semester

Washington Center 2008 semester program fee: $ 5,995

Washington Center 2008 semester housing fee: $ 4,395

Example 1:

The private institution charges the student for x credit hours of tuition and forwards the program fee

to The Washington Center. The institution retains the balance—in this case, $5,805. The institution

also collects the $4,395 housing fee from the student and forwards it to The Washington Center.

Example 2:

The private institution collects tuition and forwards both the program fee and the housing fee to

The Washington Center, retaining the difference of $1,410. (In this case, the student doesn't pay

for housing, because the tuition covers both program and housing costs.)

Example 3:

The private institution charges the student for x credit hours of tuition and forwards the program

fee only to The Washington Center. The institution retains the balance—in this case, $ 5,805. The

Washington Center bills the student separately for the housing costs.






Documents

TWC Affiliation Guide 09