By Faith Jarrell
Student Life Editor
For many years, Washington College has offered summer internships under the Starr Center’s Explore America Summer Internship program for students. This year, that tradition continues, with even more new opportunities.
The applications for the EASI program opened on Thursday, Jan. 25, and close on Thursday, Feb. 15 at midnight. Those who applied have the opportunity to work at a myriad of partnered organizations across the nation, with 30 positions offered to WC students.
This year’s internships are hosted in destinations such as Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., New York City, Baltimore, Harpers Ferry, as well as other various programs throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia.
Senior Tseyang Pewa is one student who received an opportunity at an EASI last year. During the summer of 2023, Pewa worked as an education and interpretation intern at Harpers Ferry in West Virginia where they shared the similar duties as their park ranger colleagues, providing public programming, staffing the visitor’s center, and roving the grounds. Additionally, they took part in demonstrations and received historic weapons certification.
“I also had the freedom to do anything as long as it related to our park’s history in some way,” Pewa said. “This summer was a dream come true, and not a single day was ever dull. I met so many incredible colleagues, historians, and people from all over the world visiting Harpers Ferry and found a family of like-minded, passionate historians like myself.”
Christine Sinatra, the Assistant Director of Communications and Outreach for the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, believes that the EASI program “is one of the most exciting and distinctive opportunities available to Washington College students.”
“Securing a paid summer internship can change the course of a student’s life. Internships create opportunities for students to build a resume before graduation, expand a professional network, and connect with mentors. Quite a few of our past recipients have been hired upon graduation at the places where they interned,” Sinatra said.
Selected students are paid a stipend of $6,000. Upon selection, they are expected to work full time for up to 10 weeks during the summer. While students receive the aforementioned stipend, they are otherwise responsible for housing and transportation to their respective jobs.
Acceptance letters are usually sent out in March for those who receive the opportunity for wherever they applied. The application itself is made up of a short response of why a student is interested in specific opportunities, their top three choices of internship, three references, a resume, and a copy of their transcript.
“Internships like the ones offered at Explore America are also your first step into your chosen field. If it weren’t for my colleagues, I wouldn’t have had the support and guidance I needed when I was applying for positions in the National Park Service last fall. Your network will expand with invaluable connections, and these people just might be the ones who will get you your dream job,” Pewa said.
Photo courtesy of Christine Sinatra
Photo caption: Senior Tseyang Pewa enjoyed her Explore America Summer Internship opportunity as an Education and Interpretation intern at Harpers Ferry in West Virginia.