The Minority Leaders Fellowship Program has selected Colleen Halliman, a junior communication studies major, to participate in a 10-week program to be held in Washington, D.C. this summer.

The three year-old program is sponsored by The Washington Center, an independent organization that gives college students a chance to earn credit through internships and academic seminars.

The first week of the program includes an intensive seminar based on skill development and leadership theory. Speakers will include Juan Williams of The Washington Post and Deborah Carter from the office of minority affairs and the American Council on Education, who have spoken in previous seminars, as well as congressmen and senators.

The Fellows will then serve nine-week internships in entry-level professional positions. Internship placements are available at the IBM Corporation, the Smithsonian Institute, the National Urban League and the American Red Cross.

Halliman said she doesn’t know which internship she will be placed in yet, but she knows that the Supreme Court is available.

“Since I am gung-ho on law, they will put me in something that has to do with law,” she said.

Internships require that Fellows work 35 hours per week, 80 percent of which will be professional, 20 percent clerical.

Corporate donors allot $4,000 per student for housing and program fees. All other expenses must be met by the school and the individual. Each Fellow is also provided with a $500 stipend.

Colleges and universities can nominate one student from their campuses to compete on the national level. Students must have a 3.0 grade point average or better and show involvement in campus and community affairs.

A faculty member recommended that Halliman apply, and after undergoing interviews with two other students, NIU selected Halliman. She is the first student NIU has nominated.

The national application was very extensive, Halliman said. Applications consisted of a number of questions that required 200 to 300 word answers.

One question asked applicants to assume they were senators and make a proposal. Halliman said she proposed a national health bill that would provide assistance to anyone, regardless of socio-economic status.

“We live in one of the richest countries, yet people go without the proper health care all of the time,” said Halliman.

While attending NIU, Halliman has been involved in campus politics. She was a SA senator for two years and is currently the SA academic affairs adviser.

Halliman served as a Judicial Advocate, on the President’s Commission on the Status of Minorities, on the Legal Advisory Board and as a member of the Black Student Caucus. Halliman is also on the minority relations committee and the ombudsman review committee.

Halliman’s academic achievement has been recognized by an NIU student leadership award and by the BROTHERS award for exemplifying a positive female figure on campus. She is also the recipient of a two-year extra effort senator award and she is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society.