2017 Legislative Fellows and Inaugural Judicial Fellows Announced

State legislators and court administrators alike are receiving a helping hand from University of Delaware students through two prestigious opportunities, the long-running Legislative Fellows Program and the inaugural Judicial Fellows Program.

A total of 15 UD students have been selected to serve in each respective program 13 in the Legislative Fellows Program, a partnership between the University and the Delaware General Assembly, and two in the Judicial Fellows Program, a cooperative effort between the states Administrative Office of the Courts and the Institute for Public Administration (IPA).

Since 1982, the Legislative Fellows Program has given students the opportunity to assist state legislators in addressing issues critical to Delawareans. Students selected for the competitive program gain valuable skills and insight into the law-making process through assignments that require a high level of responsibility, such as staffing committees, conducting non-partisan research, and responding to constituent concerns.

Alumni of the Legislative Fellows Program have gone on to highly successful careers in both the public and private sectors and include Delaware Gov. John Carney.

Of the 14 students selected as 2017 Legislative Fellows, 13 represent the School of Public Policy and Administration in the Universitys College of Arts and Sciences.

Modeled after the Legislative Fellows Program, IPA launched the Judicial Fellows Program in cooperation with Administrative Office of the Courts to provide students interested in public policy and law with an opportunity to observe and contribute to the state judicial branch.

The two graduate-level students selected for the program both representing the School of Public Policy and Administration have been researching the courts most pressing business and policy issues and driving initiatives to improve the efficiency of the Administrative Office of the Courts.

The focus of the programs inaugural class is to help streamline and update existing programs within the courts to the benefit of both employees and Delaware residents.

Just as the Legislative Fellows Program gives promising students interested in public policy and politics a hands-on experience in the Delaware legislature, often inspiring them to go on to a life in public service, we hope the Judicial Fellows Program will do the same for promising students interested in public policy and the law, said Leo E. Strine Jr., chief justice of the Delaware Supreme Court and a UD alumnus.

IPA Director Jerome R. Lewis said the Judicial Fellows Program offers students a new and different opportunity in public administration. Im pleased this partnership will open the eyes of our students to the important work of the courts and the career opportunities available in the court system, he said.

Serving as 2017 Legislative Fellows are:

Madinah Wilson-Anton, master of public administration (MPA) student specializing in natural resource management;

Haley Qaissaunee, 4+1 bachelor of arts (BA)/MPA student majoring in public policy and English;

Anna Keleher, 4+1 dual BA and bachelor of science (BS)/MPA student majoring in public policy and economics;

Starmanda Duker, MPA student;

Scott Eisenhart, MPA student specializing in public policy and management;

Ashley Lewis, MPA student specializing in public policy and management;

Pablo McConnie-Saad, MPA student specializing in public policy and management;

Jessica Velez, MPA student specializing in public policy and management;

Brandon Williams, BA student majoring in public policy and international relations;

Laura Askin, MPA student specializing in public policy and management;

Taylor Hawk, MPA student specializing in public policy and management;

Jessica Stump, MPA student specializing in public policy and management; and

Alexis West, 4+1 BA (Honors)/MPA student majoring in public policy and political science.

Serving as 2017 Judicial Fellows are:

Josh Berkowitz, MPA student specializing in public policy and management; and

Alexander Burns, MPA student specializing in public policy and management.

The Legislative Fellows Program and the Judicial Fellows Program are managed by UDs Institute for Public Administration in the School of Public Policy and Administration.

To learn more about the Legislative Fellows Program, visit the program website or contact program manager Lisa Moreland at lisamk@udel.edu.

To learn more about the Judicial Fellows Program, visit the program website or contact program managers Julia OHanlon at jusmith@udel.edu or Lisa Moreland at lisamk@udel.edu. 

Originally published in UDaily on May 5, 2017. Article by Chris Kelley.