Jerome R. Lewis Legislative Fellows Program 2027

Overview

The Jerome R. Lewis Legislative Fellows Program 2027 gives students a range of opportunities to build professional skills and experience in state government. Although not every fellow plans a career in government, most benefit from an insider's view of how the public sector works.

Fellows can affect current legislation by providing timely, nonpartisan, in-depth information on critical issues, get to know many important state leaders in both the General Assembly and the executive branch, and gain an understanding of the legislative process that is useful across public, nonprofit and private sector careers.

What you get

This is a paid fellowship. Fellows make contacts with government officials and community leaders, and work directly with legislators and legislative staff, conducting research and staffing committees on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from January 12 to June 30, 2027. An orientation is held during the first full week of January. Travel to Dover from the University of Delaware is by vanpool, conditions permitting, leaving campus at 11:00 a.m. and returning at 6:30 p.m. on those days. Fellows also take a three-credit seminar, State Government: Management and Policy, linking their experience with academic coursework.

Who can apply

Any full-time master's degree student, or especially qualified junior- or senior-level undergraduate student with a GPA of 3.4 or higher, from partnering universities is eligible. Applicants should have a strong background in a degree programme such as public administration, public policy, political science, sociology, urban affairs, communications, international relations, criminal justice, history, economics or business administration.

How to apply

The application consists of the Legislative Fellows Program online application form along with its supporting documents: a recommendation form, confidential comments from the department chair or programme director, and a permission form for research assistants. A Legislative Fellows Application Guide is available.

Key dates

The application deadline is October 30, 2026. The fellowship work period runs from January 12 to June 30, 2027.