Our nation’s capital, a federal district, was founded in 1790. Its metropolitan population is approximately 8,000,000 and the land area includes Baltimore. The District of Columbia is home to all three branches of the federal government, the World Bank and the National Mall.

Recent college graduates looking for entry level positions in politics definitely want to relocate to Washington, D.C. Named after our first president, Washington, D.C. has much to offer its residents. The Washington Monument, which was erected in 1888, is a very popular attraction as are the Lincoln Memorial and the White House, for which the first cornerstone was laid in 1792. There’s a tremendous amount of history in the capital city, but that’s not all there is to it.

The District of Columbia is located in the Northeastern part of the United States and has memorable weather. The summers are often hot and humid, while the winters are moderately cold. Hurricanes do occasionally hit the Washington, D.C. area, but they are usually dissipated by the time they arrive. Spring and fall tend to be mild and colorful, making the capital city a beautiful place to live. D.C. is famous for its cherry blossoms.

Shakespeare enthusiasts will appreciate the District of Columbia’s Shakespeare Theatre Company. The city also has the Washington Redskins football team, the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington Ballet. The symphony and the ballet appear at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Prior to the 1968 riots, the Lincoln Theatre played host to jazz icons Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.

The Washington, D.C. area has been the setting for several television shows like sitcoms Murphy Brown and 227, the soap opera, Capitol, and the prime time drama The West Wing. But it’s also a great place for a student to find a quality education. Some of the largest colleges and universities in the District of Columbia are:

*Strayer University – D.C.’s largest university offers bachelor’s degree programs in Accounting, Computer Networking and International Business.

*George Washington University – well-known majors are Social Sciences, Business/Marketing and Psychology.

*Howard University – this historically black university offers Journalism, Dentistry, Fine Arts and Education.

*Georgetown University – offers English Language and Literature, International Relations and Affairs, and Political Science and Government.

*American University – founded in 1893, students can choose from one of the university’s most popular majors like Business Administration/Management, International Relations and Affairs, and Mass Communications/Media Studies.

Some of D.C.’s other colleges and universities are:

The Art Institute of Washington – Arlington
Baltimore International College Culinary
Banner College – Arlington
Capella University
Catholic University of America
Chamberlain College of Nursing
Corcoran College of Art and Design
Dominican House of Studies
Gallaudet University
Kennedy - Western University
Potomac College
Southeastern University
Trinity Washington University
Utica College
Villanova University
Walden University
Washington Theological Union
Wesley Theological Seminary

Washington, D.C. isn’t just a great place to get an enriching education. It’s also a great place for college students to find quality internships and for recent college graduates to find promising entry level jobs. Here are some of the largest employers in the D.C. area:

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation – this employer offers internship and entry level job opportunities in business operations, auditing, finance and auditing.

Lockheed Martin Corporation – the aerospace/Defense contractor has entry level jobs and internships in systems administration, engineering, business and quality assurance.

MCI, Inc. – this telecommunications company recently merged with Verizon. It has entry level jobs in business, engineering, accounting and sales.

General Dynamics Corporation – another aerospace/Defense contractor offers internships and entry level positions in engineering, information technology, finance and marketing.

Nextel Communications – the telecommunications company, now a part of Sprint, has jobs available in sales, network administration, human resources and retail.

The Washington Post and USA Today are both in Washington D.C. as are US Airways, Danaher Corporation and Coventry Health Care. Washington D.C. has amazing opportunities for students who desire a quality education or internships and for recent college graduates who want entry level jobs in a place with diversity. D.C. has diversity in every area.

Population statistics courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau – Census 2000.
*Source: http://www.dc.gov/