As it enters its 50th year, Eastern Mennonite University’s internship and urban studies program in Washington, D.C. is adopting a new name: the EMU Washington Semester. This strategic rebranding more clearly articulates the program’s identity, strengthens its brand alignment with EMU’s distinctive educational philosophy, and reflects its integral role in the university’s “Reimagining EMU” initiative.
“This renaming is more than a cosmetic change; it’s a strategic move that enhances clarity and reinforces the direct connection between this transformative experience and Eastern Mennonite University’s mission,” said Provost Tynisha Willingham. “The EMU Washington Semester is a vital extension of our campus, embodying our commitment to preparing students for purposeful lives through experiential learning, critical thinking, and ethical leadership. This new name clearly signals that this immersive experience is unequivocally EMU.”
The rebranding follows two years of work by EMU Washington Semester staff, engaging campus faculty and staff stakeholders, program alums, and current students. The new name aims to support effective marketing by communicating more transparently that the program is a credit-earning academic term run by a university. It additionally aligns with common naming conventions used by other universities’ D.C.-based programs, making it more recognizable within the region.
Launched in 1976, the program originally operated as the Washington Study Service Year (WSSY) until 2002, when it was renamed the Washington Community Scholars’ Center (WCSC) as part of a shift from a year-long format to three shorter terms per year
For the past 50 years, the program has been a cornerstone of experiential learning, offering students opportunities to live, learn, and intern in the nation’s capital. Washington, D.C. serves as a dynamic living laboratory where students engage with policy, advocacy, community development, and justice initiatives, directly applying classroom theory to real-world challenges.
Open to students from EMU and colleges and universities around the world, the EMU Washington Semester offers a full-semester or 10-week summer experience that combines internships, urban studies coursework, career development, and community living in the Nelson Good House in the heart of Washington, D.C.
The EMU Washington Semester will continue to provide a unique educational experience, empowering students to engage with complex societal issues, develop professional competencies, and cultivate a deeper understanding of their role in contributing to a more just world.
For more information about the program, visit emu.edu/washington or follow the experiences of current students at instagram.com/emu_washington.
Congrats on the new name for the EMU Washington Semester. I think it’s a good move to rebrand and clearly identify that it’s an EMU program. The program has stood the test of time both in terms of providing a meaningful learning experience and attracting students with it’s experimental focus on community living, internships and experience based coursework.
Excited to have my son be a part of the inaugural year!