Prestigious Legislative and Judicial Programs Select 14 UD Students

Fourteen University of Delaware students have been selected to work with state legislators and court administrators through two prestigious university programs, the Legislative Fellows Program and the Judicial Fellows Program.

The long-running Legislative Fellows Program, a partnership between the university and the Delaware General Assembly, has accepted 12 students from the University of Delaware into its 2018 class. Another two UD students have been selected to serve in the Judicial Fellows Program, a cooperative effort between the state's Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) and UD's Institute for Public Administration.

2018 Legislative Fellows Program

Since 1982, the Legislative Fellows Program has given students the opportunity to assist state legislators in addressing issues critical to Delawareans. Today, the program links the research capacity of the University of Delaware, Delaware State University and Wesley College with the research needs of the Delaware General Assembly.

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 2018 Legislative Fellows, 12 represent the School of Public Policy and Administration in the university's College of Arts and Sciences. The political science programs from both Wesley College and Delaware State University also have representation in this year's class.

2018 Legislative Fellows:

• Lauren Barkachy, master of public administration (MPA) student specializing in public policy and management (House Majority Caucus)
• Hannah Barr, bachelor of arts (BA) student majoring in interpersonal communications with minors in business administration and philosophy (Senate Majority Caucus)
• Victoria Cook, MPA student specializing in public policy analysis (Division of Research)
• Gabriella Davis, BA student majoring in political science at Delaware State University (House Majority Caucus)
• Juliann Emory, MPA student specializing in health policy (House Majority Caucus)
• Eric Hastings, MPA student specializing in public management and education (House Majority Caucus)
• Nicole Jacoby, BA student majoring in political science with a concentration in global politics (House Majority Caucus)
• Jeffrey Martindale, MPA student specializing in public policy and management (Senate Minority Caucus)
• Danielle Metcalfe, MPA student specializing in public policy and management (House Minority Caucus)
• Emma Odren, MPA student specializing in public policy and management (House Majority Caucus)
• Stephanie Palmer, BA (Honors) student majoring in economics and public policy (Senate Majority Caucus)
• Grace Pedersen, BA (Honors) student majoring in environmental studies and public policy (Division of Research)
• Jennifer Proebstle, BA student majoring in political science and women and gender studies (House Majority Caucus)
• Victor Rosas-Granda, BA student majoring in political science at Wesley College (House Minority Caucus)

2018 Judicial Fellows Program

Now in its second year, the Judicial Fellows Program provides graduate students with the opportunity to gain on-the-job experience working closely with the Delaware AOC. Modeled after the Legislative Fellows Program, students selected for the Judicial Fellows Program observe the court management process, perform court-related research, offer technical support to judicial committees and sub committees and contribute to written reports and data analysis for the judicial branch's strategic planning efforts.

2018 Judicial Fellows:

• Christopher Czepiel, MPA student specializing in public policy analysis
• Callie Kanim, a 4+1 BA (Honors) student majoring in international relations and public policy/MPA student specializing in emergency management

The Legislative Fellows Program and the Judicial Fellows Program are managed by UD's 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 O'Hanlon at jusmith@udel.edu or Lisa Moreland at lisamk@udel.edu. 

Article by Chris Kelley.