STUDENT LIFE IN D.C.   

Adam Brunelle, Sanaz Arjomand, Alex Wang, Leigh Dekle, and Sophia Lee (WSP Fellows, Spring 2009) attending the inauguration of Barack Obama.

 “Washington DC is fun and exciting; it is a wonderful place to meet new people and make new friends.  The city is also full of new experiences.  I can honestly say that I've never lived in a city where walking past Senator John Kerry or waking up on a Saturday and going to see famous paintings by Van Gogh and Monet are common, everyday events. Want Nancy Pelosi's cell phone number?  Well, she gave it to me.  From a ticket to inauguration to picnicking on the Capitol grounds, my time in DC was an unforgettable, life-changing experience.”  Liz Tucker (WSP Fellow, Spring 2009)

Leigh Dekle, Jennifer Dever, Katie Stoughton, Sophia Lee, and Sanaz Arjomand (WSP Fellows, Spring 2009) in Union Station.

Living in Washington, D.C.

Students live in a modern, apartment-style dormitory managed by Washington Intern Student Housing (WISH)   www.internsdc.com.  The apartment is located in the heart of Capitol Hill -- within a few blocks of the Capitol and Union Station, which provides easy access to the Metro, Amtrak, shopping, restaurants and entertainment.  http://www.unionstationdc.com/ 

The apartment provides a secure, comfortable home away from home. It has three stories and it is fully furnished.  Students share rooms with one or two other students.   There are four bathrooms, two kitchens, and two common living areas.  The apartment has high-speed wireless Internet service, and flat screen cable TVs with DVD players are located in the common living areas.  The apartment comes complete with basic kitchen dishware and cooking items, basic cleaning supplies, and a washer and dryer.   WISH provides a monthly cleaning service and responds quickly to any maintenance needs.

Washington is a young person's city, filled with students from its four major universities and congressional staffers.  A remarkably diverse city, Washington DC provides an opportunity to brush shoulders with different nationalities, enjoy exotic cuisines, hear multiple languages, attend ethnic festivals, shop in eclectic neighborhoods, and become acquainted with individuals and groups not likely to be encountered in South Carolina.  DC also has renowned museums, major performing arts venues, art galleries, movie theatres, concerts, lectures, and book signings.  An added advantage is that much of the entertainment is free.  For a glimpse of the variety of entertainment, check out the Washington Post at http://www.washingtonpost.com/ or the Washington City Paper at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/

Kelly Amell (WSP Fellow, Spring 2008) at Nationals Park with Congressman Henry Brown.

Travel to major cities is easy and affordable.  Michael Simpson, Kelly Amell, Tina Shah, Chantel Knowling, and Anthony Rouen, (WSP Fellows, Spring 2008) took a weekend trip to New York.

WSP Fellows, Spring 2007, during a day trip to Annapolis, MD