MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES

The University of California Washington Center is an innovative educational, living, and community space where we bring California’s diversity and priorities to the nation’s capital, create transformative experiences, and promote public service through our premier experiential learning and public engagement programs.

Our vision is that the University of California Washington Center will be the premier experiential learning destination for UC students and the preeminent space in the nation’s capital for tackling the world’s most urgent social, cultural, ecological, and economic challenges.​

Our Values:

Collaboration

We create meaningful opportunities for engagement between students, staff, faculty, and stakeholders.

Equity & Inclusion

We have equitable and transparent hiring and retention practices; we offer scholarships that make UCDC affordable; and we create inclusive spaces that welcome and support all members of our community.

Public Impact

Every year, we enable nearly 1,000 California interns to contribute to the public good in DC and host public-facing events aligned with California’s diversity and priorities.

Excellence

We offer a stellar experiential learning curriculum that prepares students for the workforce and we ensure our staff operate in their “zones of genius.”

Integrity

We are committed to the responsible stewardship of public and private funds and prioritize the student experience in all that we do.

At the heart of the University of California Washington Center is the UC Washington Program (UCDC), a flagship example of the Center’s mission in action. UCDC immerses students from every campus in rigorous academics, real-world policy work, and public service. It transforms the Washington Center’s space into a living, learning community where California’s values take root and thrive, advancing impact not only in the nation’s capital but around the world.