The city is chock-full of historic locales, pillars of the government and beautiful, towering monuments to the nation's heroes.
Each summer, Washington, D.C., attracts droves of college-aged interns who travel to the city looking for the opportunity to succeed.
UF students who are talented or lucky enough to get an internship in the nation's capital gain experience and tantalizing resume fodder as well as the chance to meet ambitious and interesting leaders - especially during this election year.
But with the nation's elite students vying for a finite number of positions, competition is inevitable.
Daniel A. Smith, the coordinator of political science internships at UF, said there are usually three ways of obtaining internships: on your own merit, through personal contacts and through the contacts of an internship coordinator.
Nicole Sarrine, a UF political science sophomore, had to be persistent to earn her internship with Rep. Gus Bilirakis, a U.S. congressman from Florida.
"I went to Representative Bilirakis' Web site, obtained the application information, worked extremely hard on the application materials, sent my application to the intern coordinator, went through an interview process and was fortunate enough to be granted this amazing opportunity," Sarrine said.
Daniel Thompson, a UF political science junior, had a more unconventional entrance into the Washington internship game.
"In October, I was at a Delta Chi fraternity function and Congressman John Mica was there," Thompson said. "We got to talking about politics and current events, and he ended up offering me an internship on the spot."
Thompson said interning during an election year sets the scene for an even more lively political environment.
"The city itself is all fired up, especially interns, about upcoming races and predicting the winners," Thompson said. "There is often debate in bars or restaurants until the wee hours of the morning discussing the presidential and congressional races."
Despite the exciting summer environment, many assume internships aren't exciting at all.
Thompson said his experiences proved otherwise.
"When I came up here, I thought I would be doing clerical work and coffee runs all day, but about 99 percent of my day is spent doing work directly related to the congressman or the staff," he said. "Our main responsibilities as interns are to give staff-led tours of the Capitol, conduct research, write letters and answer constituent phone calls."
In addition to the responsibilities that come with the job, students must also deal with financial challenges.
Lindsay Saxe, a UF law student, has spent the summer interning for the Sutherland law firm, a large firm based in Atlanta with an office in Washington, D.C.
Law firm internships like hers tend to pay well, but not everyone is so lucky.
Thompson's internship with Mica, a U.S. congressman from Florida, pays nothing, which means Thompson has had to take on all the financial responsibilities that come with traveling and living in a major metropolitan area.
But he doesn't seem to mind.
"The experience is well worth the few thousand dollars," he said. "This is a big boost on a resume as well as great for networking and personal contacts."
Smith said the cost of Washington, D.C., internships is a problem UF hasn't dealt with well.
"UF is behind the times," he said. "There is a systematic bias against those that can't pay their own way. Other universities provide financial grants for students who can't afford their internships. Most of those schools are private though."
According to Smith, this problem is much worse for political science interns - especially students working on political campaigns, who are less likely to get paid for their internships.
Even with its problems, Smith said the wealth of contacts interns meet, introduction to real world action and the opportunity to apply the things that they've learned in textbooks can be well worth the cost of the summer.
Smith, who has 15 of his 37 interns placed in Washington, said he's not sure it's that much more valuable to work in the capital unless, of course, you want a political job.
Saxe said she thinks interning there helps secure a future in the city.
"I think it's important if you eventually want a job in D.C.," she said. "It shows you're interested in being here. Places look at that when offering a permanent job because this is such a transient city."
The summer for these interns has been so much more than just networking or hands-on learning.
It has provided exposure to new ideas as well the chance to meet interesting and motivated people.
"It's really open," Saxe said. "My friends and I go out and meet tons of people from different backgrounds. I love the diversity of people, ideas and things to do."
For Thompson, the simple privilege of wandering the halls of the Capitol has brought great stories.
"Walking around the Capitol office buildings, you get to see and meet some amazing people," he said. "My first week here, I met Barack Obama and Mel Martinez within minutes of each other on the Senate side. Throughout my time here, I've met Sen. Joseph Biden, Dennis Kucinich and many more."
Although the capital isn't the only place a political science student can gain valuable experience during an internship, the diversity of the city as the center of government offers a unique perspective.
"The motto in D.C. is 'long days, long nights'" Thompson said. "This city is just full of life and different people. All the different dynamics here are just unbelievable."
