New Partnership Opens DC Pathways for Ohio Public Affairs Students

Published Date August 11, 2026

News Type College News

Fellows from the Glenn College Washington Academic Internship Program and the Portman Center for Policy Solutions at the University of Cincinnati gather at the State of Ohio’s Birthday Celebration in Washington, D.C., March 4.

The John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University and the Portman Center for Policy Solutions at the University of Cincinnati have forged a partnership to expand opportunities in Washington, D.C., for Ohio students.

From Ohio to the Nation’s Capital

Learn more about the Glenn College Washington Academic Internship Program and our academic offerings in Washington, D.C.

Beginning this fall, Portman Center-affiliated students will join Glenn College students in the college’s Washington Academic Internship Program (WAIP), which gives undergraduate students of all majors the opportunity to live, learn and intern in the nation’s capital for a semester. Students gain invaluable professional experience, build a powerful network and develop critical skills, including the AI fluency needed to become a modern policy leader.

“This partnership advances Sen. John Glenn’s enduring vision that Ohio students should not simply observe policymaking in Washington, they should be at the center of it,” said Amanda M. Girth, associate professor of public affairs and faculty director of Washington Programs at the Glenn College.

By connecting Portman Center Fellows with our established Washington programs, we are expanding opportunities for students to gain real-world federal experience while remaining grounded in Ohio’s public service tradition.

Associate Professor Amanda Girth

Glenn College Washington Programs Faculty Director

WAIP strengthens an Ohio-to-Washington public service pipeline by connecting students to federal agencies, Congressional offices, policy think tanks and national nonprofit organizations. A structured academic curriculum that integrates internship experience with federal policy and governance studies, WAIP provides professional development programming, alumni mentorship and a professionally supported housing community in D.C.

“The Portman Center is thrilled to honor the legacies of two great Ohio public servants — Sen. John Glenn and Sen. Rob Portman — through this partnership with the Glenn College,” said Andrew Lewis, executive director of the Portman Center and professor in the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Cincinnati. “By partnering with the Glenn College’s best-in-class WAIP Program, the Portman Center will be able to provide immersive D.C. experiences to University of Cincinnati students, expanding the university’s core commitments to co-op and professional education to the public policy and government arenas.”

Support our Country’s Future Leaders

Make a gift to the Washington Academic Internship Program Support Fund.

The partnership aligns with bipartisan public leadership values associated with the legacies of Glenn and Portman. Portman represented Ohio in the U.S. House and Senate during his 30-year public service career, founding the Portman Center upon his retirement in 2023. In Congress, he specialized in infrastructure, fiscal and trade issues, regulatory reform, and funding for education as well as drug abuse and prevention.

In his 24 years as a U.S. senator, Glenn, an astronaut who passed away in 2016, focused on issues including education, environment, health, older adults, civil rights, military readiness, regulatory reform, limiting the expansion of nuclear weapons and increasing scientific research. In 1999 he founded the John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy, which subsequently became the John Glenn School of Public Affairs and then the John Glenn College of Public Affairs.

The John Glenn College of Public Affairs works to improve public governance and policymaking through education, research and professional development. The college prepares students for careers in government, nonprofits and corporate consulting and embraces Glenn’s commitment to inspiring citizenship and developing leadership.

The Portman Center for Policy Solutions encourages civility, bipartisanship and finding common ground to achieve policy solutions. This includes the promotion and development of future public servants from across the political spectrum who are committed to civility, open and inclusive dialogue, and bipartisan engagement.