PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

WIP gives students from Ireland and Northern Ireland professional experience in Washington DC's most prestigious internships. These range from Congressional offices (Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator John McCain, then Senator Barack Obama), Government Departments (Library of Congress, Environmental Protection Agency), Non-profit Organizations (Habitat for Humanity, Vietnam Veterans of America), Business Organizations (World Bank), Diplomatic Offices (Irish Embassy, Northern Ireland Bureau), and Media corporations (ABC, CNN, Cspan). Students work in competitive environments that demand professional excellence. In short: WIP endeavours to equip its graduates with the skills required to lead a prosperous Ireland and Northern Ireland.

CREATING ACTIVE CITIZENS

As part of WIP's commitment to service and leadership, each participant completes a thirty-hour public service placement in their local community. In Washington DC, students continue their commitment to public service and at the end of the summer take part in a team service project. One of the many highlights was in 2007 when the students completed their team service project in New Orleans where the students spent a week helping to rebuild houses for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. WIP considers the summer program as a starting point; an opportunity to inspire a commitment to service and leadership in each participant. As part of this, WIP graduates are encouraged to give back to their community. In 2001, students from WIP established their own award-winning mentoring program, the Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) which continues to this day in Belfast. In 2006 WIP alumni began a pilot project to export the WIP model of active citizenship to South Africa. As a result, WIP has now developed an emerging initiative known as the South Africa Washington Internship Program (SAWIP).

DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP SKILLS

WIP offers a new generation a unique opportunity to understand and develop their leadership abilities through an intense leadership program that includes: skills testing, the study of international leaders, and developing personal qualities such as public speaking and critical thinking.

All students participate in a leadership project that allows them to put the skills that they have developed into action. This equips graduates of the Program with the skills they'll need to overcome any challenges presented in their future careers.

CREATING A SHARED FUTURE

Washington DC is home to all three branches of the U.S. government, along with hundreds of embassies, and the world headquarters for most major international agencies. For eight weeks, WIP students share a city with the leaders whose decisions change the world. This allows students to develop a different global perspective and outlook. With this new perspective, WIP alums are now helping to shape the political process in Ireland and Northern Ireland. In addition, WIP alumni who serve in public office, or remain actively engaged in the local community, can rely on connections forged in DC to better the future of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Each year WIP actively recruits students from Ireland and Northern Ireland to select the very best applicants. WIP selects a diverse team from every community background, religion, area of study, gender, ethnicity and class. Applicants are drawn from not only universities, but also colleges of Further and Higher Education. As part of WIP's commitment to diversity and equal opportunity, scholarships are awarded to approximately one-third of our students who come from econmically challenged backgrounds.

The Washington Ireland Program Alumni Network (WIPAN) continues to connect these talented and diverse young people long after the Program ends. Together, they form a cross-community, cross-border, team of leaders that will remain connected to each other and work together to shape tomorrow's Ireland. WIPAN takes an active role in supporting community outreach activities and facilitates alumni led public service initiatives.

WIP IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

The Washington Ireland Program is a unique opportunity for Irish students to learn about the American political process and how Washington DC really works. Ireland's relationship with the United States is one of our most important and it is essential that future Irish leaders appreciate that relationship. WIP helps to make that happen.