By Kaylen Ayres '25
With his time at Roanoke College coming to a close, Cam McDonald ’24 wanted to experience something he had never done before — work in Washington, D.C., and participate in the Washington Semester Program. After the semester concluded, he was recognized with the Dean Nancy D. Joyner Award for Most Engaged Student for the fall 2023 cohort.
Roanoke’s partnership with the Lutheran College Washington Semester (LCWS) initiative allows students to live full-time in the capital while continuing their classes and gaining valuable experience in internships with nonprofits, museums, think tanks and more.
In his Washington Semester, McDonald interned with Lutheran Services in America, the national headquarters of a network of 300 health and human services organizations spread across the United States. His work took him into nonprofits across D.C. and gave him a behind-the-scenes look at how they collaborated with partner organizations around the country.
“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that gave me the ability to explore the city and its surrounding regions with new friends, finding beautiful natural sites and learning more about the history of our country along the way,” McDonald said.
McDonald was recognized by his cohort for making the most out of his time in the nation’s capital, from including new friends in activities to diving into the city.
“The spirit award honors someone who really jumped in and embraced the whole experience of Washington Semester,” said Edward Hasecke, dean and executive director of the Lutheran College Washington Semester program. “Every single one of Cam’s peers in this cohort said that he was someone who organized events, tried to include and invite everyone to those events and really went out of his way to bring the group together for unique experiences. He was just an incredibly kind, enthusiastic student and someone who was committed to making sure the semester was inclusive of everyone.”
McDonald is an international relations major with minors in Spanish and French and a concentration in German studies. He is a member of the men’s track and field team, Korea research team, German Club and Model United Nations, as well as manager of the Gameroom and a subject tutor.
Reflecting on his time at Roanoke, McDonald said he was grateful to have so many programs to explore and to have kicked off his senior year with Washington Semester.
“Having yet another opportunity to reside in Washington, D.C., experience the city firsthand through a variety of established programs and tours, and to create friendships with individuals from around the country – while taking our time to space out our memory-making over multiple months – allowed my senior year to get off to the best start it could have,” McDonald said. “This experience also boosted my confidence in speaking with new individuals and helped establish what I want to do after I graduate from Roanoke College.”
McDonald plans to attend law school after he graduates in May. He encourages anybody, regardless of their major, to pursue the opportunity to study in Washington, D.C., with the LCWS.
“The LCWS program offers a variety of different opportunities that can benefit anyone going into any field,” McDonald said. “I personally recommend the program to individuals who want to experience living in a new place, find a sense of individuality and control of your daily schedule, and gain knowledge of working in a lengthy internship while having a decent chunk of time in the evenings throughout the week and over the weekend to do as you wish in a city with unending activities.”
RELATED: Washington Semester offers unforgettable learning experience
RELATED: Once-in-a-lifetime trip taking student researchers to Korea
RELATED: Roanoke students win top prize in international analysis, video competition