While many of you were chilaxin’ on a beach Hillary Mann ’13 was busy making a case for why D.C. is such a great city. See what she says about The Hill and why you should consider making it your home next year in her latest installment of Post-College City Guides.
Photo source: wall-art.com
Metro Population: 634,323 in the District of Columbia, 5.7 million in the DC Metro Area
Unemployment Rate: 8.6%
Cost of Living: 143 (100 is United States average)
Major Industries: Federal government, education, finance, public policy, non-profits, and scientific research
Average Price of One-Bedroom Apartment: $1,759
Average Climate: Winter – 36°F, Summer – 80°F
Professional Sports: Wizards (NBA), Capitals (NHL), Nationals (MLB), United (MLS), Redskins (NFL)
Closing Time: 3 AM on Friday and Saturday nights; 2 AM on other nights
Best Known For: National monuments, Capitol Hill and the White House, the Smithsonian, Georgetown neighborhood, National Zoo, National Cathedral, National Cherry Blossom Festival
Best Foods: Large selection of ethnic restaurants
Why We Chose It:
Thomas Jefferson once said that “all is politics in this capital.” With all due respect, Mr. Jefferson, Washington D.C. has now become one of the top cities in the United States in regards to employment, entertainment, tourist attractions, and educational attributes and is a great city for young professionals and families to relocate to. Although only 68.3 square miles, Washington D.C. has no shortage of racial, religious, cultural, political (obviously), and socioeconomic diversity. Home of all three branches of the federal government and the capital of the United States, Washington D.C. is a haven of patriotism and opportunity.
Washington, D.C. strikes the perfect balance between Southern charm and Northern efficacy. In 2010, Washington Metropolitan Are had a gross product of $425 billion, which made it the fourth-largest economy in the United States. As of 2012, the federal government represented 29% of the jobs located in Washington D.C. Washington D.C. also hosts over 200 foreign embassies, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and multiple other international organizations. Additionally, the Washington Metro Area is famous for its scientific and medical research institutions, such as Washington Hospital Center, the Children’s National Medical Center, the National Institutes of Health, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Three Fortune 500 companies are located within the District of Columbia (Fannie Mae, Danaher, and Pepco Holdings) and twelve in the Washington Metro Area (Marriott International, Host Hotels and Resorts, Lockheed Martin, Coventry Healthcare, SAIC, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding, Exelis, Freddie Mac, Gannett, Capital One Financial, AES, and Alliant Techsystems). The District of Columbia also has several institutions of higher education, including the notable Georgetown University, Howard University, George Washington University, and American University.
In 2012, the Economist Intelligence Unit named Washington D.C. as the best city in the United States and the fourteenth best worldwide. Forbes recently rated the District of Columbia as the 22nd for job growth, 8th in education, 5th safest city in the United States, and 5th best city for singles. and 2nd coolest city (as measured by local restaurants, bars, arts, and cultures).
Why You’ll Love It:
Washington D.C. is the nations’ capital, but it also is a prominent and well-known urban center on the international scale as well. With its temperate (but sometimes humid) climate, political atmosphere, diverse population, and economic opportunities, Washington DC will undoubtedly amaze you with the endless number of political, historical, and societal sights and landmarks it has to offer. Like New York City, the cost of living in Washington DC is a bit more expensive than the national average, but there are ways to live relatively cheaply within the city’s boundaries (sharing an apartment, using public transportation, and taking advantage of the free museums and cultural attractions).
The District of Columbia is divided into eight wards, each with their own neighborhoods with distinct culture, history, and demographics. A popular place for young professionals to live, the culturally diverse and eclectic neighborhood of Adams Morgan is located in Northwest Washington DC. As a result of the large presence of immigrants in Adams Morgan, this wonderful DC neighborhood is known for its great ethnic cuisines (Adams Morgan has everything from Brazilian to Ghanaian to Guatemalan restaurants). In addition to the wonderful restaurant scene, Adams Morgan is also famous for its nightlife venues; there are over ninety bars and clubs in Adams Morgan, making it comparable to the nightlife scenes in Georgetown and Dupont Circle (two other neighborhoods in Washington famous for their nightlife).
Once serving as a major port and commercial center, the Washington neighborhood of Georgetown is now known for its upscale shops, bars, and restaurants. Despite having many five-star restaurants and designer boutiques, Georgetown still possesses its historical charm with its cobblestone streets, old grand homes, and many other landmarks (such as Georgetown University, the Volta Bureau, and the Old Stone House). Georgetown is home to many famous residents, such as Washington Post Watergate reporter Bob Woodward and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Rumor has it that John F. Kennedy proposed to his then-girlfriend, Jackie, at Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown (one of the neighborhood’s most notable restaurants).
Dupont Circle is a historic district and neighborhood in Northwest Washington DC with some of the city’s best museums, historic homes, foreign embassies, ethnic restaurants, bars and clubs, and bookstores and art galleries. Dupont Circle is home to many recent college graduates, young professionals, and is very popular amongst the LGBT community.
Other well-known neighborhoods in Washington DC include Chinatown, Downtown, Foggy Bottom, Tenleytown, Burleith, Glover Park, and Capitol Hill.
Washington may be known as the political hub of the United States, but what many do not realize is the breadth of cultural attractions that this city has to offer (in addition to Capitol Hill, foreign embassies, the Supreme Court, Library of Congress, and the White House). The monuments in Washington are beautiful honors and memorials to individuals and events in American history that have shaped this great nation. Memorials and monuments featured in the world-famous National Mall include the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Washington Monument, the National World War II Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
Washington is also home to several museums, with the most notable being the Smithsonian Institution. Established as an educational foundation by Congress in the mid-nineteenth century, the Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, gallery, and research complex with a total of nineteen museums, nine research centers, and 140 affiliated museums worldwide. The most visited of the Smithsonian museums in Washington DC is The National Museum of Natural History, which contains over 126 million specimens of plants, animals fossils, rocks, minerals, and meteorites and sees over seven million visitors every year. Other well-known Smithsonian Institution entities include the National Zoo, the Air and Space Museum, the American History Museum, and the Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. In addition to the Smithsonian, Washington DC is the home of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which is the official national memorial to the Holocaust and the millions of people who died during the Nazi regime in World War II. Visiting this museum is most definitely an emotional experience, but he exhibits (both permanent and visiting) in this museum teach all who walk through the museum’s doors about the dangers of hatred and prejudice. Washington DC is also known for the National Gallery of Art. Located on the National Mall, this museum features an extensive collection of art and sculptures dating from the Middle Ages to the present and houses the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas. Just as the name states, the Newseum is a museum of news and journalism that is also interactive. Not only does the Newseum contain the largest display of the Berlin Wall outside of Germany, but it also focuses on topics relating to news history, the September 11th terrorist attacks, freedom of the press, and the historical tracings of the Internet, TV, and radio.
Other popular attractions for both locals and tourists alike include tours of the Library of Congress, a visit to the Washington National Cathedral, shows at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, guided tours of the Capitol, a Nationals baseball game at Nationals Park, a nature-filled job through Rock Creek Park, a drive by Embassy Row, a stop at Eastern Market (Washington DC’s oldest fresh food public market), and the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Learn more about Washington DC here.
Not ready to leave Bucknell? We didn’t think so.
Check out the Washington DC Club
422 alumni are in the area
Check out B-Link if you want to talk to people willing to speak about career advice and job opportunities at such places as:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ‘02
U.S. Department of Treasury ‘96
National Public Radio (NPR) ‘04
Booz Allen Hamilton ‘07
Clark Construction Group, LLC ‘08
The Advisory Board Company ‘09
International Rescue Committee ‘04
Or in industries such as:
Marketing ‘75
Law ‘00
Accounting ‘06
Health and Medicine ‘05
D.C bonus: It’s still within easy driving distance of Bucknell and you can participate in our annual D.C Career Fair (in Feb.) and rep your company to students!