USCB’s Fifth Washington Semester Fellow Selected
University of South Carolina Beaufort is proud to announce its fifth student selected
for the prestigious South Carolina Washington Semester program: junior Madison Mindermann.
This spring, Madison will spend four months as an intern in the nation’s capital, getting close to the political process, gaining professional experience and sharpening her analytical skills. Administered by The South Carolina Honors College, the Washington Semester Program gives students in universities and colleges across the state the opportunity to spend a semester working and taking academic courses towards their degrees in Washington D.C.
Fellows attend important events such as White House arrival ceremonies for visiting heads of state, joint sessions of Congress, and arguments before the Supreme Court. They also attend leadership seminars led by national figures. Participants live in group housing near the Capitol and have plenty of free time to get to know the city.
“On the weekends, you’re going to find me on the Metro, exploring,” said Madison, who is from Beaufort.
She’s also looking forward to being close to current events and to attending theater performances in D.C.
Past Washington Semester Fellows have gone on to excel in government, law, medicine, business, journalism, the nonprofit sector and other fields. Madison isn’t sure what she wants to do after she graduates from USCB, but said “intelligence analyst is my dream job.”
At USCB, Associate Professor of American Literature Mollie Barnes is the faculty liaison for the Washington Semester Program.
“I mentor students from all majors through the application process and the interview process,” Barnes said.
After students are accepted into the program, she works with them to match their interests and career goals to an approved internship. Many — but not all — of the Washington Semester Fellows become interns for members of South Carolina’s congressional delegation. Madison is a history major in USCB’s Honors program and with Barnes’s help, she’s currently exploring several internship possibilities.
The deadline to apply for the Fall 2022 Washington semester will be in early February. Students interested in applying should view website https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/honors_college/experience/internships/washington_semester/index.php and contact Mollie Barnes at mbarnes2@uscb.edu.