Waynesburg University’s Zoe Belknap will participate in The Washington Center’s internship program this summer.
The sophomore sociology and psychology major will complete an internship with National Black Justice Coalition as part of the program. She said that she hopes to gain experience that will prepare her for her future career.
Waynesburg University’s partnership with The Washington Center program allows students to combine academics, internship and career readiness during a semester, all while living in the nation’s capital.“I want to go to grad school for social work and [earn] a Juris Doctor in law [in order] to work in the foster system, so I am primarily looking for something in a related field to get a feel for what a work environment is like in my chosen career field,” Belknap said.
“What I really liked about the program when researching [it] was its three components, how they not only have an internship, but also an entire section dedicated to building soft skills and a professional presence (career building), as well as an academic course,” Belknap said. “It will definitely broaden my academic background, whichever course it is that I take, and I think this will help me have a better perspective going into future semesters.”
Belknap also received a full scholarship to participate in the experience, resulting in an award of $12,090 between the Samuel G. Rose Scholarship and the Pennsylvania State Scholarship.
She joins Jalen Koontz, a senior criminal justice administration major, and Sidney Pinkston, a junior forensic investigation major, both of whom participated in The Washington Center’s academic internship program this past spring.
Koontz interned at The American Legion and studied foreign policy, while Pinkston interned at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and studied forensic psychology.
For more information about The Washington Center and internship opportunities, contact Sarah Bell, career development specialist and study abroad coordinator, at sbell@waynesburg.edu.
