The University of Dayton’s 10-week summer internship program in Washington, D.C., will continue its legacy of developing future public servants with another year of financial support from the AES Ohio Foundation.
The AES Ohio Foundation is providing $25,000 to DC Flyers, a program that facilitates student internships ranging from placements on Capitol Hill to federal agencies and nonprofit organizations. Funding from the Foundation helps support UD’s commitment to provide students with housing in the nation’s capital, and a stipend to cover food, transportation and personal expenses.
"The continued funding from the AES Ohio Foundation is vital to the success of the DC Flyers program,” said DC Flyers program manager Laura Cotten Howell. “DC Flyers encourages our young people to find a calling for public service which is important to sustaining a strong society. Students gain a clearer understanding of their future vocation through their time in DC.”
Established in 2014 as an initiative of the University Honors Program, DC Flyers has helped 162 students gain hands-on experiential learning opportunities in public service, policy, advocacy and more. Many program alumni have launched careers in the public service sector, taking roles in and related to regional, state, national and international government, associations and nonprofits.
DC Flyers will enter its 12th year in 2026 with 10 students.
Lucia Bair, a senior from Carmel, Indiana, majoring in international studies and Spanish and minoring in political science and sustainability, completed her internship at Counterpart International, a non-governmental organization focused on humanitarian aid. After she graduates from UD in May, Bair hopes to pursue a master's degree in either environmental sustainability or public policy, or attend law school to study environmental law.
“My time in D.C. showed me there are so many ways I can live out my passion for environmental justice and that there isn't one ‘right way’ to get there,” Bair said. “Connecting with UD alumni who share similar passions was also one of the most impactful aspects of my time in D.C.”
Annie Ward, a junior from Joliet, Illinois, majoring in communication management with minors in marketing and business administration, worked as a legislative intern in the office of Rep. Dave Joyce (OH-14). She started as a political science major, but during her internship, Ward was drawn to the communications director’s work.
“After watching her and meeting with other comms directors on the Hill I realized I was much more interested in this aspect of the office,” said Ward, who now plans to pursue a career in management and marketing after graduation. “DC Flyers taught me so much about what I wanted to do and didn't want to do, which I believe is the most important thing I could have taken away from that summer. Without the real life experience DC Flyers gave me, I wouldn't have found what I wanted.”