The Washington Internships for Native Students (WINS) is founded on the idea that college students who are members of sovereign American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian nations can build leadership and professional skills and advance their academic careers, while living, studying, and interning in Washington, DC. Through the WINS Program, students not only further their education and experience, but also gain a first step toward their own professional positions in the federal government.

WINS grew out of a small summer program founded at AU in 1994. The program was restructured and expanded in 1999, becoming part of American University’s world-renowned Washington Semester Program, which provides a solid academic foundation for experiential learning. It accommodates up to 100 students in the summer. This program is open to all interested students.