The CALL

Launched in 2019, the Capitol Applied Learning Labs (CALL) program gives Georgetown undergraduates the chance to live, study, and work in downtown Washington, D.C., for an entire semester. During their time on Georgetown’s Capitol Campus, CALL participants pursue professional experiences while making progress toward their general education requirements.

CALL students get a window into young professional life and gain real-world experience. They see how their academic, professional, and personal interests intersect; what it means to be a good citizen; and all that the nation’s capital city can offer.

After a successful pilot period, the CALL is poised to grow. Philanthropy will ensure we can serve more students, offer industry-specific learning tracks, and deepen our community engagement.

“The CALL offers a whole new way for students to apply themselves in the world as they develop their authentic selves. Moving off the Hilltop for a term to the Capitol Campus, students can experience the fullness of Washington, D.C., engage with local communities, build professional networks, and explore the power of using their education for the common good.”

—Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia

Building professional capital

Internships are a core element of the CALL experience, and students have worked at organizations all across D.C.—employers as varied as the U.S. Department of Education, the Smithsonian, Autism Speaks, Google, and the D.C. Historical Society.

The CALL operates as a high-touch program, providing students with personalized career coaching. The CALL works closely with Cawley Career Education Center, other career offices across campus, and the Hoya Alumni Network to ensure that students can access as many opportunities as possible. CALL staff work with students’ internship sites to set goals and ensure a high-quality learning experience.

We seek to further invest in the CALL’s internship and career development capacities, deepening the program’s relationship with the Cawley Career Education Center and removing financial obstacles that can deter students from pursuing unpaid internships.

Enriching the academic journey

With a home base at Georgetown’s 500 First Street, NW, building, students at the CALL take coursework integrated into the fabric of the city. They choose between a self-designed semester or a curated, industry-specific program. Courses include:

CALL City Seminar

Students experience the city through discussions/lectures, field trips, and meetings with community groups and leaders.

CALL Internship Seminar

Students integrate their internship experience with their personal, academic, and professional goals.

Professional development workshops

Workshops focus on leadership, negotiation, design thinking, professional communications, and failure.

Downtown courses

These courses can fulfill general education requirements, major electives, or spark a student’s interest in a new field.

Gifts to the CALL will bring practitioners from the field to the classroom and enable the development of innovative courses that help students see their careers, and the city, through a new lens. We also seek to grow our library of curated, industry-specific experiences.

Increasing access to experiential learning

The CALL model is a natural outgrowth of Georgetown’s commitment to access, affordability, and educational innovation. Recognizing that unpaid summer internships can be financially out of reach for some students, the CALL makes it possible for students to gain real-world experience while still earning course credits. Students can apply existing financial aid to their CALL semester and engage with the D.C. community as an integral part of their academic experience.

Immersed in downtown D.C., CALL students from a variety of disciplines come together to learn with and from each other, and thrive together as a community. (Read more about CALL students’ experience in Georgetown Magazine.)

In Spring 2021, the CALL welcomed a cohort of 33 students. With support from donors, we will significantly increase the number of students who can have a CALL experience, eventually building the staff and programmatic capacity to serve hundreds each year.

Growing this innovative offering

The support of our philanthropic community will be essential as we build on the CALL’s initial success. Gifts to support student stipends, career development, community engagement, and curricular innovation will ensure the ongoing growth of this signature program.

To learn more or to contribute to these priorities, please contact us at giving@georgetown.edu.