Along with the return of university students comes an influx of fall interns on leave from schools around the country.
Some of them, like Missy Peters, have already arrived. Peters, a senior at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, is an event-planning intern at Capitol Services Inc. in Falls Church.
“I feel like it’s Intern City,” she said. “There’s so many interns. The thing that’s cool about it is the interns who come here are moving into a big city without necessarily knowing people. I think it shows dedication and drive. And, of course, you have a blast when you get here.”
The Washington Center, a nonprofit organization that provides internship programs, places 1,200 to 1,500 interns each year, 400 of them in the fall.
Arleen Borysiewicz, director for external relations, estimated that the summer high season draws between 20,000 and 50,000 interns, but thousands more opt for internships during the school year.
“Just imagine the thousands of federal agencies, trade organizations, Congress alone — that’s what, 535 congressional offices — and most of them take at least two or three interns right off the bat,” she said.
University of Oklahoma sophomore Reid Brooks, a congressional intern, said it’s refreshing to meet so many passionate people his age.
“All the interns I’ve met so far are very motivated people,” said Brooks, 19. “I have yet to meet someone who isn’t well-educated on the issues and well-qualified to be here.”
Though it’s difficult to measure, Washington Intern Student Housing general manager Dan Lewis said interns invigorate the Capitol Hill area.
“I know that interns have been coming to Washington forever, but I think Capitol Hill has really benefited from having students here,” he said. “It’s been good for business to have so many students living here. They have a lot of energy and they really take advantage of the city.”
Stuart Reid, a Dartmouth junior interning this fall at The Atlantic Monthly, said interns bring an enthusiasm and optimism that is in short supply in the nation’s capital.
“They’re not jaded by having been in Washington for too many years and don’t criticize people for being inside the Beltway,” said Reid, 20, “because they’re young and it’s all new to them.”
