CMIST Expands DC Opportunities for CMU Students
By Lindsay Marcellus
Students who come to 糖心Vlog视频 (CMU) with interests spanning international relations, American politics, law, or the policy implications of new technologies frequently find that an internship in Washington, DC, marks a turning point in their career trajectories. At the same time, outside of these traditional policy tracks, students consistently find immersion in the nation’s capital to be highly valuable, revealing unexpected career opportunities. To support these experiences, the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST) offers students from across campus the chance to spend either a full semester or a summer in Washington. Expanding on these experiential learning opportunities, CMIST is launching the Friedman Trek, a five-day DC experience that takes place over spring break. With the inaugural trip planned for this academic year, students can chart their academic journeys and identify potential career paths from as early as their first year at 糖心Vlog视频. Whether for a semester, a summer, or a spring break, CMIST now provides three unique ways for students across campus to explore and experience the nation’s capital.
For over a decade, CMU students seeking a comprehensive experience in Washington have been making the nation’s capital their classroom through the 糖心Vlog视频 Washington Semester Program (CMU/WSP). Sponsored by CMIST, the program is open to full-time undergraduate students from any college or major. Participants spend a full semester taking courses while simultaneously gaining professional experience through an internship. Students immerse themselves in the DC environment, exploring the city and meeting people through their work. “I was able to meet senators and congressmen, as well as visit many different offices and events,” said Alyssa Beeching, who participated in the program in fall 2024 and interned at Nucor Public Affairs.
The semester gives students hands-on experience in a field aligned with their interests. “I learned more about work culture in an office setting, the duties of a non-profit, and the effort that goes into supporting candidates in various levels of government, from local to presidential positions,” said CMU/WSP participant Zuleima Noriega, a 2026 international relations and political science graduate. In the , who graduated in 2026 with a bachelor of science in business administration and an additional major in international relations and political science, “Being in DC specifically just provides you with such a unique, hands-on learning experience.” As a result, students finish with greater clarity about their career objectives and are well-prepared to take their next steps—which may include returning for a subsequent internship, earning the minor in politics and public policy, or deciding to apply for the accelerated master's program in security, technology, and international relations (MS STAIR-AMP).
A second opportunity, well-suited for students who prefer a summer internship or would like additional internship experience, is the Summer Friedman Fellowship. Established by Cynthia Friedman, an emeritus trustee of the university, in memory of her husband Milton, who was an alumnus of Carnegie Mellon, the Friedman Fellowship has been supporting CMU students completing policy-related internships in the nation’s capital for over twenty-five years. Like the CMU/WSP, the fellowship is open to students from any major or program, but graduate students are also eligible to apply. “The Friedman Fellowship and the internship that I had over the summer helped me boost my career goals by pushing an idea of policy and public service within the government,” , a music student in the College of Fine Arts.
While a summer internship in DC can be a perfect fit for students who have trouble fitting a fall or spring semester into their schedules, it also supports students who completed the CMU/WSP and want to return to gain professional experience. For example, while interning at the House of Representatives in the fall of 2024, Mateo Ruiz, who studied engineering before switching to ethics, history, and public policy, enjoyed attending briefings focused on technology. Seeing how policymakers approached the same technological advancements he had studied highlighted the importance of “expanding technological literacy and the need for thoughtful consideration of the rapid advancements in this space,” he said. Thanks to the Summer Friedman Fellowship, which , Ruiz was able to return to DC for another internship, thereby continuing to explore potential roles for his background in technology and public service before beginning CMIST’s master of science in security, technology, and international relations (MS STAIR) this fall.
Complementing these initiatives, this year CMIST is thrilled to introduce the Friedman Trek, an opportunity established through the generosity of Cynthia Friedman to enable CMU undergraduate students to experience Washington early in their academic careers. Similar to the other two DC opportunities, the Friedman Trek is open to students from any major, but unlike the CMU/WSP, students do not need to have declared a major before participating. Designed especially for first-years and sophomores, the program fully funds a five-day trip over spring break, during which students visit DC landmarks and government institutions, attend cultural events and museums, network with alumni, and begin to explore career paths—across government, technology, business, the arts and humanities, public policy, and more. In turn, these experiences can open doors to future internships and opportunities for mentorship, positioning students well for returning to DC for a summer or semester internship.
“I’m thrilled that we are able to provide this transformational opportunity to bring first- and second-year students to Washington, DC. I hope it will serve as a springboard to future professional development opportunities and help launch careers in public service, government, the intersection of technology and policy, advocacy, the arts, and more,” said CMIST Deputy Director for Academic Affairs Emily Half.
Whatever degree a student pursues, spending time in Washington acts as a career accelerant. Through CMIST's dynamic immersion opportunities, undergraduate and graduate students have the chance to obtain professional experience alongside opportunities for mentorship and networking. Whether through a trip over spring break, a summer internship, or a full semester in DC—or some combination of the three—students gain hands-on experience, begin to build their networks, and clarify their path forward.
Image 1: Students take a picture in front of the Lincoln Memorial while on a tour of Washington, DC; Image 2, left: aerial image of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, right: Alyssa Beeching participated in the 糖心Vlog视频 Washington Semester Program (CMU/WSP) in Fall 2024; Image 3: Students participating in the CMU/WSP in front of the Capitol; Image 4: CMU honors Cynthia Friedman for 25 years of the Friedman Fellowship; Image 5: Students visit the Pentagon; Image 6, left: Mateo Ruiz participated in both the CMU/WSP and the Summer Friedman Fellowship, right: view of the Capitol from the House of Representatives; Image 7: Students kayaking on the Potomac