Georgia Tech’s Office of Government and Community Relations today announced five recipients of its DC Internship Program:

• Robert Gordon, third-year chemical and biomedical engineering major from Gainesville, Fla.
• Priya Verma, third-year international affairs and Spanish major from Alpharetta, Ga.
• Katherine Mitchell, second-year public policy major from McDonough, Ga.
• Donna Welles, first-year master’s student in international affairs from Austin, Tx.
• Amanda Shojaee, third-year international affairs major from Alpharetta, Ga.

Now in its fourth semester, the program is designed to align with one of Tech’s strategic goals to foster the fundamental characteristic of public service in all of its graduates. Selected students work full-time in offices in and around Washington, DC for 10 weeks in the summer or 16 weeks in the spring and fall.

“The DC Internship Program empowers our students to engage in the federal policy process in ways that would not be possible on campus, while laying the groundwork for a future career,” said Rafael L. Bras, provost and executive vice president of academic affairs for Georgia Tech.

As part of the program, students receive a stipend and mentorship from Georgia Tech government relations and professional practice staff. Once selected, students are required to secure a federal government position (with members of Congress, Congressional Committees or executive branch offices) that is aligned with their own interests and professional aspirations. Previous positions have been held in the Office of Congressman Phil Gingrey (R-GA); the U.S. Department of Justice-Law and Policy Section; and the Office of the Chief Medical Officer-Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, to name just a few.

Welles is continuing her studies at Georgia Tech after earning an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas-Austin in Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Studies, and hopes to land an internship that will bring her one step closer to aspirations of becoming a government analyst.

McDonough, Ga.-born Katherine Mitchell sees the DC Internship Program as a path toward influencing the nation’s science and technology policy.

“A lot of students only get involved [in policy discussions] when it’s election season,” Mitchell noted. “I think it’s important for us to stay involved in current events because, whatever you’re interested in, there will be a policy issue around it.”

Georgia Tech students are increasingly attracted to government career paths, in response to rising demand for “problem solvers,” and for the variety of opportunities available. As one former Tech DC intern stated, “You can use your biology degree to conduct cutting-edge medical research, or use your engineering degree to improve national security.”

“Many problems do not have a simple or correct answer,” stated chemical and biomedical engineering major Robert Gordon. “The government faces some of the most complex challenges as it attempts to serve its people, due to the mere fact that they are attempting to serve exactly that, people.”

The Georgia Tech DC Internship program is open to both undergraduate and graduate students of all majors, and is eligible for course credit. Applications for summer 2013 and fall 2013 positions are being accepted until November 16, 2012. For more information, visit www.gov.gatech.edu/federal/DCinternship.html.