Most internships provide a variety of experiences. Interns also usually must take on some of the general office duties. The key to a good internship is that there be a balance between the two. As you research internships and interview it is your responsibility to ask appropriate questions to determine the balance of substantive responsibilities and office duties. We advise and assist you, but the final decision is yours.
Many different factors go into making an internship successful.
You should be the kind of person who can work well both independently and as part of a group. Most of all, you need to be personally committed to learning as much as possible from the experience. There is a good mix of paid and unpaid opportunities in D.C. Many government agencies offer only unpaid internships, while many non-profit organizations offer a stipend. We encourage students to choose their internships as much as possible based on the educational and career value. Any stipends or other arrangements are the responsibility of the individual student to work out with the internship supervisor.