GSPIA’s Washington Connection has three components: a semester-long program of study; a new Center offering services to GSPIA students and alumni; and a network of alumni in scores of offices throughout the nation’s capital. Washington, D.C. is 189 miles from Pittsburgh as the crow flies—about 240 miles driving distance—and can be reached in approximately four hours by car. It is possible for students to have breakfast in Pittsburgh, drive to D.C. and interview for an internship or job in the afternoon.

The Washington D.C. Semester

The Washington D.C. Semester program provides GSPIA students with an opportunity to spend a fall semester attending classes in Washington, D.C. Most students also fulfill their internship requirement in a government agency, a nonprofit organization or a corporation while there; GSPIA students have interned with a wide range of D.C. employers including the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Senate, USAID, the CIA, the FBI, the European Union, the Center for Defense Information and many more. The Washington, D.C. Semester program is offered in partnership with Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver.

The Washington Center – 2025 M Street NW

GSPIA’s office in the new University of Pittsburgh Washington Center is located in the “Golden Triangle” just a short walk from Dupont Circle. The Washington Center features state-of-the-art videoconferencing capabilities that connect our D.C.-based staff, adjunct faculty, and alumni with all of us at the GSPIA office complex in Pittsburgh.

GSPIA's Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Career Services, Jessica Hatherill, is based at the Washington Center along with staff representatives from the Pitt School of Law, the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Federal Government Relations. GSPIA doctoral students also may apply to work as graduate assistants in the Washington Center while conducting research in D.C. Contact Jessica at 202-386-7988 x205 or jlhst95@pitt.edu.

The GSPIA Alumni Network in D.C.

More than 1,000 GSPIA alumni are employed in Washington, D.C. and nearly half of our students take their first job there after graduation.  Many prominent D.C.-based alumni serve on the GSPIA Board of Visitors and large contingents of alumni can be found at impressive venues such as the State Department and the Government Accountability Office. Faculty and staff both in Pittsburgh and at the Washington Center assist students in making connections to alumni who can facilitate the search for internships and jobs.

Washington Connection