Is Georgetown or Penn State better for getting internships in Washington, DC?

Georgetown has the clearer advantage for Washington, DC internships, especially for government, public policy, international affairs, and politics. The biggest reason is simple: Georgetown is in DC, so students can intern during the semester, build contacts year-round, and take advantage of professors and alumni who are deeply connected to federal agencies, Capitol Hill, think tanks, nonprofits, and embassies. For this specific goal, Georgetown creates a much more direct path.

Georgetown fits the student who wants DC to be part of everyday college life, not just a summer destination. If you want to spend the academic year attending policy panels, networking events, embassy programs, Hill briefings, or part-time internships while taking classes, Georgetown makes that realistic in a way Penn State usually cannot.

Penn State can still work for a student who wants a broader Big Ten campus experience and is comfortable treating DC internships as something pursued mainly in summers, through specific programs, or during a dedicated semester away. Penn State has a large alumni network and solid support for career development, and motivated students do land internships in DC. But it usually takes more planning because you are not embedded in the city during the regular semester.

For a student focused specifically on building a resume in government or policy as early and as often as possible, Georgetown offers more convenience, more frequency of opportunity, and more day-to-day exposure to the institutions you want to work in. Penn State is more viable if DC is one interest among many and you want a different campus environment, but on the internship question alone, Georgetown is the stronger path.