Each summer, approximately 20 students have the opportunity to take part in the Washington, D.C., Summer Program. Students work in substantive externships in D.C., accompanied by a high-quality academic program and a summer in the nation’s capital. The externship lasts at least seven weeks with students working at least 20 hours per week, in addition to eight evening class sessions. Students are paired with a supervisor at their externship, and the supervisor ensures that at least 80 percent of the student’s time is substantive work.
Students take a 2-credit course on The Ethics of Washington Lawyering, as well as a 3-credit externship seminar. In previous years, students have worked in major federal agencies and nonprofit groups that are often national leaders in their fields. Externships in the past few years have included the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Education, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the D.C. Office of the Attorney General. A year-by-year list of prior placements since 2003 is available under the Externships page.
Several field trips have been included in past years, including tours of the U.S. Capitol, CIA headquarters, the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Supreme Court, and White House. The program offers a number of social outings as well. Students speak highly of their time spent in D.C. and find that the bonds they form with each other add to the value of the experience. For more information on the classes and field trips, visit the Summer Experience page and check out this Twitter thread recap of the 2019 summer program.