Designed for university students and recent graduates, this non-degree program culminates in your gaining and completing a substantive internship or academic practicum in a DC-area organization or agency. Program options include all professional areas available in DC, such as government, politics, law, media/journalism, corporate affairs, consulting, human rights, environment, social services, international trade, diplomacy, and research think tanks.
THE PROGRAM INCLUDES SEVERAL COMPONENTS:
Gateway works with you to clarify your professional aims, your current skills and capabilities, and metrics of success while completing the Gateway program. These evaluations are necessary for you to develop your strongest applications to apply for the best internships.
Over several weeks, Gateway professionals work with you individually, and as a program cohort, to identify numerous internships where you can apply, and assist you in completing compelling applications. Once you’ve applied to various internships, Gateway coaches you on professional interview techniques during practice sessions and workshops. Gateway is also on hand as you consider one or more internship offers and as you make final decisions on where you will work
Gateway provides an intensive one-week, theme-based introduction to Washington, DC for participants who seek to immerse themselves and where gain valuable experience and global network connections in this truly dynamic and socially diverse world capital city. Through a series of workshops, site visits, expert presentations, guided networking and collaboration engagement opportunities with leaders and professionals in key agencies, organizations and research institutions, participants will gain a direct, current, nuanced, and expandable understanding of the what, where, who and how involving our shared global concerns in the DC context.
This core component of the Professional Experience Program offers internships or educational practicums tailored to your objectives, including a fixed start and flexible end dates for the internships and other program offerings. Gateway serves as your primary employer liaison to ensure that you get the most out of your internship experience.
The program is open to both international and U.S. domestic participants who seek to gain experience in working in a DC area academic internship/practicum (paid or unpaid). For domestic US students and professionals, all program fees apply minus the J-1 visa and related fees.
For international participants a J-1 Visa, arranged in collaboration with our program partner, Cultural Vistas, is required that includes the following eligibility criteria:
Currently enrolled in and pursuing studies at a foreign degree- or certificate-granting post-secondary academic institution outside the United States; or who have graduated from such an institution no more than 12 months prior to the program start date
If still enrolled in an academic program outside the U.S., be prepared to return to their home institutions to fulfill and obtain a degree after completion of the program.
Have sufficient finances for him/herself and any dependents for the entire stay in the U.S., including housing and living expenses.
Have sufficient English language skills to function on a day‐to‐day basis in the internship/practicum.
Be primarily in the U.S. for the internship program rather than to engage in employment or provide services to an employer.
Designed for young professionals who seek to further develop their careers after graduating from a higher education institution, this non-degree program offers opportunities to gain international experience in Washington, DC. Program participants will gain unique work experience through internships or practicums with key agencies, organizations, research institutions, and companies that are globally focused. They can also choose to enroll in select courses at DC-area universities. In addition to practical work and study experiences, participants will have opportunities, facilitated by Gateway, to network and pursue collaborative engagement opportunities that will further their careers while in DC, and when they return to their home countries or United States locales.
Available year-round for periods from one to six months in length, the DC Career Advancement Program is tailored to meet each participant’s particular objectives, including flexible start and end dates. For international participants and groups, the program provides participants (as needed) the Exchange Visitor (J-1 Visa) to travel, work (in paid or unpaid internships or practicums) and study in the United States for periods of up to six months. Participants who are US citizens do not pay the additional J-1 Visa and requisite course credit fees.Gateway professionals have extensive experience in creating programs on specific policy topics. Whether as part of a college course or a training program for a professional delegation, these intense, customized programs provide participants the opportunity to focus on issues relevant to their academic and career interests. In coordination with faculty members and/or other stakeholders, Gateway coordinates logistics, including budgeting and payments, while also managing the daily program itinerary of expert speakers, site visits, workshops, cultural tours, and events.
PROGRAM EXAMPLES
Working with faculty and
graduate students, we coordinated a week-long program in Washington
focused on Children, Youth and Families. We have coordinated more than 15 similar programs for USC, including ones centered on Military and Veterans policy issues.
This program was designed for
freshmen concentrating on conflict resolution. A week in Washington
provided a look through the policy lens of the Israeli-Palestine conflict.
United States Agency of International Development and Michigan
State University – We coordinated a policy week in Washington for PhD
students from several countries. These “Borlaug Fellows” were part of a
year-long program, studying a range of topics in the field of agriculture
We coordinated a policy week in Washington for PhD students from several countries. These
students were part of a year-long program, studying a range of topics in the field of agriculture.