Two CSU Monterey Bay students are about to get an up-close look at the inner workings of government.

In late August, Jesse Reyes and Dahlia Ezekwonna will travel to Washington, D.C.,where they will spend the semester working as interns and earning academic credit.

Reyes is a senior majoring in environmental studies. He is passionate about conservation and committed to keeping green spaces accessible to young people.

He will work with the Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. While in D.C., he also hopes to learn how non-profit environmental organizations operate.

Ezekwonna is a global studies major from Grenoble, France. She is interested in international affairs, and hopes to work at an embassy during her internship since she aspires to a career in diplomacy.

Both students received $5,000 scholarships from the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, and $2,500 from CSUMB to help with the costs. The Met Life scholarships became available as part of the Higher Education Civic Engagement Award the university's Service Learning program won last year.

The Washington Center arranges internships for approximately 300 students each semester. The students work 35 to 40 hours a week and take academic courses, including a leadership forum, at the center.

Photos courtesy of Service Learning Top: Jesse Reyes Below: Dahlia Ezekwonna