Sen. Jeff Stone (R-Riverside County) has announced the availability of applications for the 2017-18 California Senate Fellows program.
The program provides college graduates an opportunity to become full-time Senate staff members at the state Capitol in Sacramento for 11 months beginning in October 2017. Fellows are assigned to the personal or committee staff of a senator and also participate in academic seminars with senators, senior staff, journalists, lobbyists and state government officials.
Fellows are paid a stipend of $2,627 per month plus health, vision and dental benefits. They earn six units of graduate credit from Sacramento State University for the academic portion of the program.
“Being a Fellow provides an excellent opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the legislative process,” said Stone. “Whether your career goals are in the public or private sector, the Senate Fellows program provides valuable training.”
Stone said fellows experience the broad range of activities conducted in busy Senate offices. Responsibilities include researching public policy issues, helping develop legislative proposals, analyzing and staffing legislation, assisting with constituent inquiries and casework, participating in meetings as the senator’s representative, writing press releases and speeches, and performing other delegated tasks. A five-week orientation at the beginning of the program provides background on state government, the legislative process and major policy issues.
Anyone who will be at least 20 years of age and a graduate of a four-year college or university by Sept. 1, 2017, is eligible to apply. There is no preferred major. Individuals with advanced degrees and those in mid-career are encouraged to apply.
Brochures may be requested online and also are available in the senator’s Indio and Murrieta offices.
For more information or to apply, visit the Senate Fellows website (www.csus.edu/calst/senate).
The deadline for submitting applications is Feb. 13, 2017. Eighteen fellows will be selected in May after an initial screening of applications and a subsequent panel interview of finalists.
The California Senate and the Center for California Studies at Sacramento State University jointly operate the fellowship program.
