Academics
University of the District of Columbia, the nation’s only exclusive urban land-grant university, aims to produce lifelong learners who become transformative leaders in every facet of society. The school’s motto encourages its students to “Aspire. Accomplish. Take on the World.” UDC has excellent programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business and Public Administration, Engineering and Applied Sciences, as well as a community college and the David C. Clarke School of Law. The school’s unique College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) aims to improve the quality of life and economic opportunity of people in DC and around the world. It does so by offering research-based and communityoutreach programs across the fields of architecture, urban sustainability, health education, nutrition and dietetics, and nursing, training students to ensure that the world has “Healthy Cities–Healthy People.” CAUSES houses the only doctoral-level program in the nation that focuses on urban leadership and entrepreneurship. In addition to its many degree programs, students can also pursue non-degree and certificate programs with contemporary focuses such as Multimedia Journalism, Non-Profit Management, and Urban Agriculture.
Career
Students who attend UDC are at the center of one of the most unique urban collegiate environments in the country in regards to culture, history, global diversity, and politics. The city is home to think tanks, live theater, historical towns, The Smithsonian Institute, nature preserves, and everything that the nation’s capital has to offer. Attendees can hear different languages on every corner, experience new cuisines, and feel like part of a global community. The Van Ness main campus, located in the North Cleveland Park neighborhood, features more than 50 buildings on 23 acres. Apartment-style housing is located across from the campus and is close to shops as well as the Van Ness-UDC subway station. Students at UDC have numerous organizations to explore depending on their interests, from art to chorale, economics to architecture, and entrepreneurship to photography. All nine of the National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities and sororities (and four others) have chapters at UDC. In addition, UDC has a robust athletics program for both men and women that includes basketball, tennis, lacrosse, and swimming. There is also a men’s soccer team, women’s indoor/ outdoor track and field, and women’s volleyball. The UDC Firebirds teams are part of the NCAA and compete at the Division II level as a member of the East Coast Conference.
Culture
The Office of Career Services helps students as well as alumni with career planning and readiness and connects them to career opportunities across all business and nonprofit sectors. Along with résumé development and interview training assistance, the office holds employment events and career workshops throughout the school year. UDC makes career services more easily accessible for its students through a Career Management System called Handshake. There, students can search jobs, internships, and other positions as well as find information about employment events, job fairs, internship fairs, career workshops, and career resources. Appointments with the career services team can also be made through the site. The school has turned out graduates in many remarkable careers. Among them are Dolores Kendrick Washington, the poet laureate of Washington D.C.; Norma Holloway Johnson, former United States federal judge; Branislav Andjelic, economist, politician, and Internet pioneer; Earl Jones, professional NBA player; and Brian Thompson, designer of the $100 bill.
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