The 91短视频 Washington Semester combines a full-time internship with academic coursework. Students are placed in internships across a wide range of fields, including government, nonprofit organizations, communications, business, and advocacy. These placements are tailored to each student鈥檚 interests and career goals, ensuring that every student gains meaningful, hands-on experience. No matter where they end up working, students develop practical skills that set them apart in a competitive job market.

One of the most impactful aspects of the 91短视频 Washington Semester is the personal growth it fosters. Living in a new city, navigating professional environments, and building a network from the ground up pushes students out of their comfort zones. For many students, this experience opens doors they may not have previously imagined. 

Students live alongside peers who are also pursuing internships, creating a supportive environment where they can share experiences, challenges, and successes. These connections often last well beyond the semester, forming a network of driven individuals across diverse fields.

The 91短视频 Washington Semester is more than just a study away program; it is a launching pad for future careers. By combining academic learning with professional immersion in the nation鈥檚 capital, it equips students with the knowledge, experience, and confidence needed to thrive in their chosen paths.

The Washington Semester is intentionally interdisciplinary, welcoming students from a wide range of majors, and the spring 2026 semester is no exception. Spring 2026 participants span the breadth of majors at 91短视频, pursuing studies in political science, public health, engineering, and recreation and sport management. 

91短视频 Washington Semester Director Ryan Good noted: 鈥淒isciplinary diversity is a hallmark of the 91短视频 Washington Semester and distinguishes us from other D.C.-based study away programs. Over the past two years, 91短视频 Washington Semester students have pursued 31 different majors, hailed from six colleges and universities, and worked at over 40 internship sites around the D.C. region.鈥�

This diversity shapes both internships and classroom learning. Students pursue opportunities aligned with their fields and learn alongside peers with different perspectives, creating a richer, more dynamic experience.

By embracing a wide scope of majors, the 91短视频 Washington Semester ensures that students from all disciplines can gain valuable professional experience while exploring how their field connects to broader societal challenges.

Read on to learn more about the internship experiences of our spring 2026 students.

Leah Cap, from Spotsylvania, Virginia, is a senior majoring in political science. This spring, Leah is an intern at , a D.C.-based nonprofit that supports incarcerated and returning citizens with holistic reentry services. Her main tasks include helping clients find shelters and other programs, scheduling appointments, distributing food to people experiencing homelessness, and making phone calls.

Through her internship, Leah has gained a broader perspective on how systems work and a behind-the-scenes look at how to support at-risk clients. The highlight of her internship experience has been seeing clients come in down on their luck and later seeing them return happier and healthier.

Edwin Rios Sanchez, from Harrisonburg, Virginia, is a senior majoring in recreation and sport management, with minors in business administration and coaching. This spring, Edwin is working as an equipment manager for and football clubs. His main duties include preparing equipment for coaches, attending trainings, and setting up for games, including steaming players鈥� jerseys and ensuring they have their game-day gear.

One highlight of Edwin鈥檚 internship experience was traveling to Florida for a weeklong away trip with DC Power. During his time in D.C., Edwin has learned to feel more comfortable in a new environment.

Fortie Chipeta, from Mount Jackson, Virginia, is a junior majoring in public health with a minor in environmental science. This spring, Fortie is an intern at , working with its housing and homelessness prevention department. Her main duties include researching local resources and writing helpful tips for a weekly newsletter, handling medical records by scanning and uploading patient documents into eClinicalWorks (eCW), and answering calls and assisting with the patient intake process.

During her time in D.C., Fortie has focused on growing from her experiences rather than striving for perfection. Instead of stressing, she is learning to focus on how to fix problems and do things the right way the next time. One of the biggest highlights of her internship has been taking ownership of the weekly newsletter. She enjoys researching resources for residents and takes pride in ensuring each issue is finalized and sent out on time every Wednesday. 

Alexandre (Zander) Armstrong, from Waynesboro, Virginia, is a senior majoring in engineering. This spring, Zander is interning with the Clinical Engineering Department at .

One of the highlights of his internship has been getting a behind-the-scenes look at a hospital and learning how it operates. Life in the city has been challenging at times, but it has also given Zander the opportunity to navigate public transportation.

In addition to the four Washington Semester students, the Nelson Good House is home to two other students who have been important members of the community this semester.

Morgan Hutchens, a Goshen College senior, is majoring in Deaf Studies, the study of the origins of American Sign Language, Deaf community, and Deaf culture. The goal of the program is to promote awareness, social justice, and accessibility. As part of her program, Morgan is attending Gallaudet University for one semester. Gallaudet University is the only Deaf university in the world and also offers programs for hearing students.

Morgan describes living in the Nelson House as an amazing experience because it has given her the opportunity to build strong connections with others. One of her favorite things to do with her housemates is cook together, which brings her joy through good food and meaningful conversation. Morgan describes her time in D.C. as both challenging and exhilarating. Attending Gallaudet University has been a lifelong dream, and the experience has been eye-opening and deeply meaningful.

Leslie Meja is a graduate student at 91短视频鈥檚 Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP). He is completing his CJP practicum at the Kenyan Embassy in D.C. The inclusion of graduate students in the Washington Semester community enriches the experience for everyone and creates additional opportunities for learning and exchange.

Students interested in spending a semester in the nation鈥檚 capital should visit for more information or to apply. Be sure to also check out the 91短视频 Washington Semester to see what our students are up to.

The 91短视频 Washington Semester program started off in the fall of 1976 as a 鈥渉igh-risk proposition,鈥� recalls Phil Baker-Shenk 鈥�79.  

鈥淚t was a high risk for the college, a high risk for us individual students, and certainly a high risk for (program founder and director) Nelson Good 鈥�68 and Arden Shank, who staffed it,鈥� said Baker-Shenk, one of the first students in the yearlong program (then known as the Washington Study-Service Year or WSSY) from 1976-77. 鈥淚t was a high risk all around, and yet people with good ideas decided to plunge in, take that risk, and make it happen.鈥�

Fifty years later, that big gamble has paid off.

Alumni of the urban studies program鈥攖he only such program offered at Anabaptist-affiliated institutions鈥攃redit it with giving them improved professional confidence, greater clarity about career direction, more comfort in working with people different than they are, and an increased awareness of systemic injustices.

Each semester and summer, students from 91短视频 and partner schools such as Bethel College, Bluffton University, and Goshen College converge at the Nelson Good House in the culturally diverse and multiethnic Brookland neighborhood of Washington D.C. It鈥檚 there that they learn to live in a shared community, cooking and eating meals together, managing a collective budget and household responsibilities, and navigating conflict with maturity.

Students gain real-world professional experience in their chosen field of study through internship placements, study the history and social dynamics of the city, and immerse themselves in the rich culture and vibrancy of the nation鈥檚 capital.

Baker-Shenk was among the 60 alumni and supporters of the 91短视频 Washington Semester, from its beginnings in the 1970s through today, who gathered at the Busboys and Poets restaurant in Brookland on Saturday, Feb. 14, to share their memories and experiences from their time in the program and celebrate its 50-year legacy. The milestone reunion included remarks from Program Director Ryan Good, 91短视频 Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus, Provost Dr. Tynisha Willingham, and many students and alumni from the past five decades. 

Since its inception, more than 1,000 students have called the program home for a season of their lives, said Dycus. They鈥檝e taken courses at and built relationships with institutions such as Catholic University of America and Howard University. And students have learned to live with difference, practice shared leadership, and carry conviction into real work.

鈥淲e鈥檙e celebrating a living, evolving experiment in education,鈥� Dycus told the crowd. 鈥淥ne that has asked generations of students to take learning seriously enough to put it to work. Since 1976, this program has woven together community living, academic study, and vocational reflection right in the complexity of our nation鈥檚 capital.鈥�

As the story鈥檚 been told, shared Dycus, Nelson Good came to D.C. as a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War era. 鈥淎nd, out of that experience, he helped build a program committed to servant leadership and social justice, and an education shaped by peace, responsibility, and courage to see the city as it is.鈥�

Nelson Good directed the program until his retirement in 1987, mentoring it through major transitions. When the time came to find a new home closer to public transportation and academic partners, he personally helped find and secure the building at 836 Taylor Street that became the Nelson Good House. 

鈥淗e did that work even while facing a cancer diagnosis and died a few months before the facility鈥檚 dedication (on Aug. 20, 2005),鈥� Dycus said.

Alumni of the 91短视频 Washington Semester gather to celebrate the program’s 50-year legacy.

The 91短视频 Washington Semester offers a built-in social and professional network for its alumni, many of whom find long-term careers in D.C., thanks to the web of connections and relationships they build through the program.

Aerlande Wontamo 鈥�06 was among the first cohort of 15 students to live at the Nelson Good House during the spring of 2006. She interned at the Ethiopian Community Development Council while taking classes at Howard University.

鈥淚t was such a meaningful experience for me because I got on (Howard’s) campus and I looked like everybody else,鈥� said Wontamo, who is originally from Ethiopia. 鈥淭here was another person in our group, I think from Goshen, who was also at Howard, and she was white. We would go to school, and that was the first time she felt like a minority. It was this wonderful experience for both of us.鈥�

Like many alumni of the 91短视频 Washington Semester (it was known as the Washington Community Scholars鈥� Center or WCSC after 2002), Wontamo stayed in the city. Twenty years later, the economic development grad is still working in the refugee and immigrant services field as senior vice president of U.S. programs for World Relief, a global Christian humanitarian organization.

鈥淚t was my internship that was such a meaningful experience for me and led me through all of the steps to get to where I am,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o, I鈥檓 a huge fan of the program.鈥�

Anisa Leonard 鈥�21, a social work grad originally from Kenya, interned at Voices for a Second Chance, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals returning home from incarceration, during her spring 2021 semester in the program.

鈥淭he WCSC program was absolutely foundational in getting me to where I am now,鈥� said the social worker. 鈥淚t sparked my interest in working with people who are marginalized in so many ways, especially in a city so impacted by race and gentrification.鈥�

Genesis Figueroa joined Ryan Good on stage for a conversation, reflecting on her experiences in the program during spring 2025. The 91短视频 senior, who is double majoring in political science and Spanish, interned at Catholic Charities in its immigration legal services department, where she provided translation, interpretation, and administrative work. She said she hopes to become an immigration lawyer.

鈥淚t definitely solidified what I want to do after college and what type of work I want to do,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t solidified my passion for it.鈥�

Another 91短视频 senior, Dia Mekonnen, remembered living at the Nelson Good House with 13 other students during summer 2025. 鈥淚t was really packed,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut it was really nice to connect with them. It was nice to cook together, to be able to share our perspectives, and we still hang out.鈥�

Baker-Shenk credited Nelson Good, along with many other heroes, with the courage and vision to implement and sustain the idea of the D.C. program over the years.

鈥淥ne of the many things he taught me, and it was a little hard for me to take back in the 鈥�70s, was that institutions deserve our love and our commitment and our care,鈥� he said. 鈥淔ifty years later, here鈥檚 an institution that has carried each of us in this room in one way or another, and it happened because it was nourished and encouraged.鈥�

Kirk Shisler 鈥�81, vice president for advancement, is a proud member of the third cohort of students in the program (1978-79). He told guests there were many ways to support the program. One such opportunity is through the Dr. Kimberly Schmidt Endowed Scholarship, which was dedicated during the program鈥檚 on-campus reunion at Homecoming 2025.

鈥淔inancial aid is such a critical part of the story for every student, and it鈥檚 an obstacle,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an obstacle to participation in this program and others. And so what we can do to mitigate that through donor-funded aid is an opportunity we want to focus on.鈥�

Learn more about the 91短视频 Washington Semester at .

Read more:

• Sept. 2025: Rebranded 91短视频 Washington Semester celebrates 50 years of career-building and community
• Nov. 2016: Forty years of service and learning celebrated at WCSC鈥檚 Nelson Good House
• Aug. 2015: Washington Community Scholars鈥� Center celebrates 10 years at the Nelson Good House in Brookland
• March 2014: The history of the Washington Community Scholars鈥� Center

On Oct. 11, during a homecoming celebration, the 91短视频 Washington Semester program (formerly known as WCSC/WSSY) commemorated its 50th year with a special event held at the campus Student Union. The milestone gathering brought together students, alumni, faculty, and staff to celebrate five decades of experiential learning and community engagement in Washington D.C.

A highlight of the event was the renaming of the Washington Semester鈥檚 endowed scholarship in honor of Professor Emerita Kimberly Schmidt, who served as director of the program for 22 years. Dr. Schmidt was recognized for her outstanding leadership, innovative teaching, and commitment to student development throughout her tenure. The scholarship, now named the Dr. Kimberly Schmidt Endowed Scholarship, helps make it possible for all 91短视频 students to access the opportunities available through the Washington Semester.

In presenting this honor, current Washington Semester Director Ryan Good noted Schmidt鈥檚 leadership in shepherding the program from a nine-month model to three terms per year to better accommodate shifting student needs and her critical role in moving the program to a new facility in 2005. 鈥淥ver 22 years, Kim worked tirelessly to find internships for hundreds of students who came through the program during her tenure,鈥� Good said. 鈥淪he is a wise and authentic mentor, who gave generously of herself to support students as they worked to make sense of the city and themselves.鈥�

鈥淚 am humbled and honored to have this important scholarship named for me,鈥� said Schmidt. 鈥淭his scholarship reflects 91短视频鈥檚 values and highest aspirations for its students. Expanding the Washington Semester鈥檚 vision of life-transforming, career-launching internships, community life, urban exploration, reflection, and analysis to first-generation college students is an appropriate expression of 91短视频鈥檚 emphasis on leadership and service.鈥�

Schmidt also reflected on the changes she witnessed in the program over the years. 鈥淎lmost 30 years ago, when I first started working for 91短视频, many of the students in the Washington Semester were born into Mennonite families, reflecting the general student body at 91短视频,鈥� she said. 鈥淒uring my time, I saw significant shifts in student demographics. We went from being a predominantly white Mennonite program to one of true diversity and inclusion鈥攏ot only in our subject matter and internship placements, but also in our student population.鈥�

By the early 2010s, many Washington Semester students were students of color, including immigrants from Africa and Latin America. 鈥淭hey made a deep impression on me as they explored the legacies and realities of oppression in U.S. history and current culture and made connections to their own life experiences,鈥� Schmidt added.

The endowed scholarship was first established 10 years ago to celebrate the program鈥檚 40th anniversary and to promote inclusion and diversity. 鈥淩ising tuition costs made it clear that financial assistance was becoming ever more critical,鈥� Schmidt explained. 鈥淭he scholarship has grown from supporting one or two students annually to five or six. We hope to continue expanding it to reach more students and offer additional assistance and career-launching opportunities.鈥�

As it has for 50 years, the Washington Semester supports 91短视频鈥檚 ongoing commitment to transformative education, leadership, and service鈥攙alues that continue to guide the program鈥檚 mission in preparing students for meaningful engagement in their communities and professions.

For more information about the 91短视频 Washington Semester, visit .

“This renaming is more than a cosmetic change; it’s a strategic move that enhances clarity and reinforces the direct connection between this transformative experience and 91短视频’s mission,” said Provost Tynisha Willingham. “The 91短视频 Washington Semester is a vital extension of our campus, embodying our commitment to preparing students for purposeful lives through experiential learning, critical thinking, and ethical leadership. This new name clearly signals that this immersive experience is unequivocally 91短视频.”

The rebranding follows two years of work by 91短视频 Washington Semester staff, engaging campus faculty and staff stakeholders, program alums, and current students. The new name aims to support effective marketing by communicating more transparently that the program is a credit-earning academic term run by a university. It additionally aligns with common naming conventions used by other universities鈥� D.C.-based programs, making it more recognizable within the region.

Launched in 1976, the program originally operated as the Washington Study Service Year (WSSY) until 2002, when it was renamed the Washington Community Scholars鈥� Center (WCSC) as part of a shift from a year-long format to three shorter terms per year

For the past 50 years, the program has been a cornerstone of experiential learning, offering students opportunities to live, learn, and intern in the nation鈥檚 capital. Washington, D.C. serves as a dynamic living laboratory where students engage with policy, advocacy, community development, and justice initiatives, directly applying classroom theory to real-world challenges.

Open to students from 91短视频 and colleges and universities around the world, the 91短视频 Washington Semester offers a full-semester or 10-week summer experience that combines internships, urban studies coursework, career development, and community living in the Nelson Good House in the heart of Washington, D.C. 

The 91短视频 Washington Semester will continue to provide a unique educational experience, empowering students to engage with complex societal issues, develop professional competencies, and cultivate a deeper understanding of their role in contributing to a more just聽world.

For more information about the program, visit or follow the experiences of current students at .