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Communication Students at Mississippi College Seek Washington Internships


Looking for opportunities to work on Capitol Hill, join the staff of a new church in Manassas, Virginia or  network with key decision makers?

Mississippi College’s Communication Department is opening doors for students with its new Washington Internship Program. The deadline for students to apply is April 15.

Starting next fall, it’s a fantastic opportunity for MC students to work full-time, build resumes and create important professional contacts before embarking on careers.

“Offering these kind of outstanding internships not only benefits our students, but also enhances the university’s reputation by providing top-notch interns to those offices,” says Mississippi College communication professor Reid Vance.

Students could become interns for a semester in the Washington office of U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran or join the Impact Church in Northern Virginia. Stressing missions work, the church is led by pastor Brandon Hembree, a Hattiesburg native and 2007 MC political science graduate. Students can also go to work in the Barbour Griffin Rogers Group, a powerful Washington-based lobbying firm.

 MC communication alumni will be asked to help support the scholarship fund associated with the program, Vance said. “Our goal is to provide up to half the cost of a semester in Washington, with students taking responsibility for the remainder.’’

Spending four months in Washington, D.C. is quite costly. “We don’t want finances to be the only reason a deserving student misses out on this kind of experience,” Vance said.

The idea got started during an informal luncheon discussion last August between Vance and MC communication graduate Rachel Carter. They talked of ways to promote the pipeline between the Clinton campus and America’s capital.

 A U.S. State Department analyst and the MC Communication Department’s 2013 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, Carter did a terrific job building support for the initiative, Vance said. “Our communication faculty also worked hard here on campus to make it happen.”

For more information, contact Reid Vance at 601-925-7785 or go to http://www.mccomdepartment.com/washington.htm