Kate Clark - Three Reasons to Join WAIP

Three Reasons to Join WAIP

Number One - Living in D.C. is AWESOME. Seriously, there is nothing better than seeing the Washington Monument every day on my commute to work. There is history everywhere you turn, and it is so easy to get around the city. I actually LOVE riding the metro because it is so efficient! I cannot even bring myself to think about returning to campus where I no longer have a metro pass and the ability to avoid traffic. This city is also great because it is extremely diverse. Although Ohio State upholds values of inclusivity and diversity, it remains to be a predominantly white institution. However, In D.C. you will meet and work with people from an immense range of backgrounds, nationalities, and experiences, which is something I found necessary to my ability to love this city.

            Second - You will make great friends. Everyone told me that I would meet amazing people coming into this program, but I honestly had no idea about the caliber of the individuals who choose to participate in WAIP. It has been inspiring to be surrounded by students who are politically aware and are also working to do something to enhance this country and the lives of its citizens. It was a HUGE decision for me to leave campus, and I do greatly miss my friends at home who are also wonderful, driven people. I am so excited to have the opportunity to introduce them to the people I have met in the nation’s capital.

            Finally – A structured environment for professional development is so helpful. I am sure I will not be the first person to tell you, but WAIP will challenge you more than you have ever been challenged before. Working 9-5, taking full-time course work, attending policy salons, and being engaged during study tours all at the same time is exhausting. But I really wonder how I would have done without this controlled model. WAIP teaches you how to network and how to be confident in your abilities – really it shows you how to be the young professional total package. I don’t think that I would have had the same experience in D.C. this semester without this program, and I am so thankful for it!