Begun in 1982, the Legislative Fellows Program links the research capacity of the University of Delaware with the research needs of the Delaware General Assembly.
For the students, who are selected through a University-wide competition, the experience offers a valuable opportunity to observe and contribute to the political decision-making process. For the General Assembly, the program provides the research skills of the Fellows as well as a link to University resources.
In their own words...
“The hands-on experience was exceptional.”
—Kelly Sheehy Shone, ’94 Fellow
“Being a Fellow reinforced my
[desire to work] for the government.”
—Kimberly Reed, ’01 Fellow
Through their nonpartisan, in-depth research, Fellows assist legislators in addressing critical issues facing the state. In recent years, Fellows have worked on areas as diverse as land-use planning, education reform, and juvenile justice.
The Legislative Fellows Program is managed by the Institute for Public Administration, College of Education & Public Policy, University of Delaware. Dr. Jerome Lewis is the director of the Institute; Bernard Dworsky and Lisa Moreland are the program managers for the Legislative Fellows Program.
Legislative Fellows work in Dover 20 hours a week from January through June; travel to Dover is by University carpool.
Legislative Fellows earn a stipend comparable to a University of Delaware research assistantship.
Legislative Fellows take a three-credit graduate seminar, "State and Local Government: Management and Policy," as an integral part of the program.
In their own words...
“As a Legislative Fellow, I was able to bolster my educational experience in the classroom with direct exposure to the inner workings of public administration.”
—Dan Smith, ’04 Fellow
See eligibility and selection requirements or contact Lisa Moreland at IPA. For more information, please contact the Institute for Public Administration. The Institute’s telephone number is 302-831-8971, or write to:
Legislative Fellows Program
180 Graham Hall
Institute for Public Administration
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716
