Augsburg College to host internship program during RNC

Two hundred fifty college students will get a close-up view of next year's Republican National Convention as part of a nationwide internship program.

The Washington Center for Internship and Academic Seminars announced a partnership Wednesday with Augsburg College to host its convention interns. The center has provided similar hands-on convention experiences for 1,500 students since 1984.

Eugene Alpert, the center's senior vice president, says participating interns will also earn academic credit.

"Our first week will be devoted to the academic study of the presidential campaign. And toward the end of the first week, that is when we will begin to assign students to their field work opportunities that will enable them to see what goes on behind the scenes and to be at the right place at the right time in order to be able to understand how the political process works and the unique nature of the national political conventions," says Alpert. The partnership means Augsburg students will get 20 of the available internships. An additional 250 students from throughout the country will participate in the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.