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Logan Daugherty '27

Reflection and Responsibilities

Logan Daugherty '27, a biology and chemistry double major from Bradford, Ohio, took part in the EMU Washington Semester program, gaining hands-on experience in a nonprofit medical clinic.

EMU Washington Semester

Discover Washington, D.C.

...city life, cultural diversity, career-building opportunities, a broad range of university classes and the connections between faith and work at the EMU Washington Semester.

Experience the City

Washington, D.C., is full of exciting opportunities to explore new cultures, a different pace of life, and a great variety of people, each with their own worldview and passions. The city is also a place to learn about the poverty that exists in our own country, about racism which continues to affect our society and about the ways that real people are addressing these challenges. Through internships, group life and the weekly seminar class, students are encouraged to embark on a stretching journey of personal and professional self-discovery and gain new perspectives on the world we live in.

Gain practical experience

Build a resume with job skills and work experience. EMU Washington Semester offers you an opportunity to explore your interests while contributing to your community with a 20-hour-per-week internship. We can place students from any major, including the sciences, the arts and professional programs.

Engage the arts

From slam poetry readings to Hamlet, the arts are at your doorstep in D.C. Our seminar class provides a space for students to explore museums, theaters, coffee house poetry readings, concerts, public art and historical walking tours.

Integrate life and learning

EMU Washington Semester's interdisciplinary seminar analyzes social problems, faith issues and urban experiences through reading and writing, the arts, field trips and group discussion. Guest speakers, internship visits and history and arts tours are part of the weekly seminar course.

Build a student community

Live with students from Mennonite-affiliated schools in a working-class, largely African-American neighborhood.

EMU Washington Semester student life is a community experience, including shared meals and household responsibilities.

Through sharing a house, intense new experiences and studies, students come to know one another and themselves in surprising ways. Students build interpersonal communication skills and learn about conflict resolution strategies during group meetings.

The newly renovated facility is located just four blocks from the Metro, and there is a bus that goes from the front door of the house directly to the Metro station.

ACADEMICS

The EMU Washington Semester is committed to providing strong academic programs grounded in practical experiences in the diverse neighborhoods of Washington, DC.

Dates

Fall (end of August to mid-December)
Spring (mid-January to end of April)
Summer (mid-May to end of July)

Credits

Semester:
EMU Washington Semester Seminar Classes: 9 credits
Internship: 6 credits
15 credits

Summer:
EMU Washington Semester Seminar Classes: 4 credits
Internship: 6 credits
10 credits 

Through readings, analytical reflection, journals, and guest speakers, students will explore multiple dimensions of service internships in Washington, D.C.

Students can use internships to gain work experience and build a strong resume with impressive job skills. Many EMU Washington Semester students intern in culturally diverse settings, with organizations working to address racism, injustice, violence and other social problems. Internships are available in any major. Satisfies BENV 300 requirement.

In this course, we consider how communities differ from place to place and learn about community-based organizations working in and around Washington, D.C. to improve local neighborhoods. Community development focuses on meeting the needs of places that have been marginalized from political and economic power: communities with limited access to good schools, jobs, adequate housing, quality food and other resources that make life easier and more fulfilling. We learn about the ways people work together to improve neighborhoods, to access external resources, and to more fully meet the needs of their neighbors.

This course is an introduction to urban studies, focused in particular on questions of space and place. Through fieldwork, readings and discussion, we explore the urban landscape of Washington, D.C., seeking to understand the spatial organization of the city, the inequalities it reflects, and the implications for people and communities. What drives racial and economic segregation? How do we make sense of cycles of neighborhood development and disinvestment? This course asks students to consider the breadth of actors and forces that shape the city, and to reflect on what it means to seek justice within this context. Satisfies Understanding Self and Society competency.

How are leaders made? In these critical times, what kinds of leaders does our society need? How is leadership best practiced? College students, at the cusp of adulthood in American society, stand at many crossroads. Life-altering decisions, vocational choices, questions about how and whom to serve can stimulate or, conversely, inhibit creativity, a willingness to engage in the serious issues of our day and a commitment to serve others. This course is taught in tandem with WCS 285. Satisfies BENV 300 requirement.

Internships

Students can use internships to gain work experience and build a strong resume with impressive job skills. Many EMU Washington Semester students intern in culturally diverse settings, with organizations working to address racism, injustice, violence and other social problems. Internships are available in any major.

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

The housing facility is located in the Brookland Neighborhood of Washington, D.C., only four blocks from Catholic University, and a 10 minute walk from a Metro station, this once four-unit apartment building now serves as the beautiful home of the EMU Washington Semester.

The Nelson Good House features:
  • Excellent public transportation access reduces dependence on cars
  • Cross-cultural setting in a predominantly African American neighborhood of low to middle-income families
  • Walking distance to restaurants, shops, an organic grocery store and a public recreational center with free swimming pool access for EMU Washington Semester students
  • 5,000 square feet of finished space
  • In-town location with easy connections to most internships and universities and to DC's cultural centers, including ethnically diverse neighborhoods
  • Capacity for 15 students featuring modern kitchen, dining, and living room areas, and a versatile multi-purpose room for seminar courses, recreation, librar,y and guest lodging for small field trip groups; energy-efficient heating and air conditioning

COST AND APPLICATION

Fall or spring semester (15 credits)
Bluffton tuition, room & board (20 meal plan)
Transportation to and from Washington

Summer term (10 credits)
Bluffton summer tuition (per credit hour)
Program fee - varies each year
Transportation to and from Washington

For all terms, a transportation stipend will be provided to cover some of the cost of transportation to internships or to reward students who choose to bike. Students should also expect some added costs for urban living, such as transportation within the city and entertainment.

Financial aid

Students will continue to receive eligible financial aid just as you would if you were taking classes on Bluffton's campus. If you have already participated in a semester program through Bluffton, no institutional aid will be awarded. If you have questions regarding aid you may contact our financial aid office at finaid@bluffton.edu.

Eligibility

Undergraduate students in good standing with the university may apply. Majors from all disciplines are welcome. Currently, there is no GPA requirement.

Application process

You may access the online application at emu.edu/washington/apply/. Bluffton works together with Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), which allows Bluffton students to participate in this program. For this application process, you will be on the EMU Website.

Contact
Noah Heiing

 

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