The Claremont McKenna College Washington, D.C., Semester Program will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year with a reception on May 1, 2002, from 6 to 8 p.m., in Washington. The evening will include remarks by Representative David Dreier '75 and other special guests.
Program director Dr. Elizabeth Spalding says Congressman Dreier is the most prominent example of a program alumnus who has achieved great success in politics. "Many of our nearly 700 program alumni have returned to Washington to work in and around the government, and will be celebrating with the Congressman and the current Washington Program students," she said.
For 30 years, CMC's Washington Program has welcomed hundreds of top students from The Claremont Colleges to the nation's capital. Considered one of the best semester internship programs in Washington, D.C., it affords students full-time internships and serious discussions of contemporary political issues. The program has two components: one that immerses students in their work environments, and another - which includes two seminar classes and a directed research paper - that provides a coherent intellectual framework for the entire semester. Upon completing the program, many CMC alumni return to Washington for careers in government and related fields.
Beth Perry '03, an alumna of the program who interned for Amnesty International says, "Attending in the Washington Program not only prepared me for everyday job skills, but also inspired me to public service by being able to witness it firsthand." The CMC Washington Program operates out of a suite on Pennsylvania Avenue, in the vicinity of Farragut Square. Spalding serves as faculty alongside Dr. James Edwards and Dr. John Haskell.
"CMC educates its students to be leaders in government, politics, and business," says Spalding. "This program makes it possible for Claremont students to work for leaders in government and politics, and thus learn by doing. We are celebrating the natural connection between Claremont and Washington."
The reception will be held at the Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C.
For more information, contact the CMC Washington Program at 202-833-4946