Uni-Capitol Washington Internship Program
In 1999, an unprecedented educational exchange was created in Washington, DC, tailored for Australian university students, and made possible through the invitations of select offices in the US Congress. A founding principle: to match good people with good people in good places for internships focused on bilateral exchange, personal and professional development, and academic study. The effort began with a handful of students from a single university. Across the next 7 years, a total of 56 students have been successfully matched to Democratic and Republican offices; personal offices and committee staffs; the House and the Senate. These are full-time, 8-week internships spanning January and February. Matched students have come from many academic disciplines including international relations, politics, law, political communications, economics, science, and American studies.
Achievements
By 2003, the demand in Washington, DC for expansion and greater diversity led to the transformation of the single-university effort into what has been known since as the Uni-Capitol Washington Internship Programme. UCWIP has once again expanded recently, from 7 participating universities in 2005 and 2006 to 8 participating Australian universities for the 2007 Programme. Roughly 20 percent of all Australian universites now participate in the Programme. The practice since 2003 of matching 12 students annually, exclusively to individual congressional offices, will remain unchanged. Eight statements in the Congressional Record have been published across the 7 years, along with news media coverage in both Australia and the United States. Both governments have been supportive.
The program was founded by and is directed pro bono by NCoC board member Eric K. Federing. Federing was a senior congressional advisor for a dozen years and served as communications director for Rep. Norm Mineta of California (currently Secretary of Transportation), the House Transportation Committee, and Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. Federing is now Director, Business Public Policy, Government Affairs for KPMG LLP, the global public company auditor, tax and advisory services firm. He is also a Board Member of the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation.
Contact Information
Eric K. Federing,
Founder and Director
6520 77th Street
Cabin John, MD 20818
Phone: (202) 297-9895
Email: ekfed@yahoo.com