For UCA students interested in applying for the internship program sponsored by The Washington Center (TWC) for Internships and Academic Seminars, please closely follow the procedures and deadlines indicated below.
Procedures
- Students who are interested should visit the website of The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars to learn more about their Academic Internship Program. Applications for the program will need to be submitted online from The Washington Center (TWC) website on or prior to the regular deadline (see deadlines below). Students with disabilities are also encouraged to apply for the program.
- Prior to applying for the TWC program, students should contact one of their department academic advisors (major or minor) and/or department internship coordinator to schedule meetings to discuss whether or not the Academic Internship Program can be completed as part of their academic degree (major or minor) program at UCA. For the TWC program, participating students are required to enroll in twelve UCA credit hours (fall/spring) or nine UCA credit hours (summer). Along with the department academic advisor and/or department internship coordinator, students should determine the UCA courses in which they will be enrolled during the period of the TWC program. The UCA courses are typically internship, independent study, seminar, or other similar (experiential learning) courses offered by most departments at UCA. Students are encouraged to meet directly with the UCA faculty members or UCA administrators (college deans and department chairs) who will be listed as the instructors for the UCA courses.
- After discussing the internship program with a department academic advisor and/or department internship coordinator, students should submit the completed and signed UCA Coursework Form to Dr. Mark Mullenbach, UCA Liaison, at markm@uca.edu prior to or after submitting the online application from the TWC website. Applications submitted by UCA students will not be approved unless the completed and signed UCA Coursework Form has been submitted to the UCA Liaison.
- If necessary, students should make an appointment with the UCA Office of Financial Aid to discuss whether or not financial aid may be used to pay some of the costs of the TWC program. Students who are normally eligible for financial aid (e.g. state or UCA scholarships, federal student loans, etc.) should ask if this assistance can be used to cover TWC program fees and housing fees.
- Students should be aware of the program and housing fees for the TWC program, which may be higher than the normal costs for attending a semester at UCA. UCA students who are U.S. citizens and Arkansas residents may be eligible for the Arkansas Scholarship ($7,000) to offset some of the costs of the TWC program. Applicants are responsible for paying the program and housing fees directly to the TWC prior to the start of the program.
- Students should carefully prepare their application materials (see list below) prior to the online application deadline.
- Students should submit their application with any necessary application fees on or prior to the regular deadline.
Application Materials
- Issues Essay or Writing Sample – Applicant either write an original essay of approximately 500 words on a key issue that is relevant to the field they are hoping to intern in, or submit a writing sample from a previous course or experience.
- Statement of Professional Interest – In approximately 100 words, applicants should describe their internship interests, future career goals, skills that are desired from the internship, and one or more ways in which they might contribute to the internship site. Applicants should not specify the name of any particular organization in the statement.
- Résumé – Applicants should include a one-page résumé that outlines their educational background, honors or awards, work experience, volunteer activities, special skills, etc. Please be sure to include any computer-related expertise or foreign language skills, as well as prior internships and community service activities.
- Letter of Recommendation – One letter of recommendation from a university faculty member or professional supervisor is required for applicants with a grade-point average below 2.75. A letter of recommendation is not required for applicants with a grade-point average at or above 2.75.
- Official Transcript – Applicants must request an official transcript from the UCA Registrar’s Office. Official transcripts are uploaded directly into the application. An unofficial transcript is acceptable if a digital version of the transcript is not available.
Application Deadlines
Spring 2024: Early deadline is October 4, 2023. Regular deadline is November 1, 2023.
Summer 2024: Early deadline is February 14, 2024. Regular deadline is March 13, 2024.
Fall 2024: Early deadline is March 27, 2024. Regular deadline is April 24, 2024.
Program Dates
| Check-In | Internship Period | Check-Out | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2024 |
January 17th | January 22nd – April 26th | April 27th |
| Summer 2024 | May 29th | June 3rd – August 2nd | August 3rd |
| Fall 2024 | August 28th | September 3rd – December 6th | December 7th |
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For more information, please contact:
Dr. Mark Mullenbach, UCA Liaison
Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies
Irby Hall 217
markm@uca.edu
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