The John Gardner Fellowship selects six outstanding seniors each spring from UC Berkeley and Stanford University. Each Fellow receives a $52,000 stipend to work for ten months in a nonprofit or government organization aligned with their public service interests. As a part of the program, each fellow writes a blog reflecting on their experience at their placement.
Placement: California Health & Human Services Agency Placement Location: Sacramento, California
Raised in an immigrant household in Southern California, Allyson is passionate about creating solutions to health care challenges marginalized communities face. At an early age, Allyson’s father was diagnosed with a chronic health condition that required frequent interactions with the health care system. Through this experience, she became acutely aware of the high cost of health care and its disproportionate impact on BIPOC and low-income families....
Tatiana Butte, a Geography Major with a Minor in Public Policy, is dedicated to empowering individuals and amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities in environmental justice. A first-generation Afro-Latina, Tatiana grew up in Southeast San Diego in a single-parent, Caribbean-immigrant household under challenging circumstances. Throughout her life, Tatiana has shown her exemplary leadership talents: from heading her high school JROTC battalion to advocating for outdoor equity and environmental education programs for Black and Brown youth to being a student leader...
Nouhamin Leoulekal, the daughter of Ethiopian immigrants, is a passionate advocate for criminal justice reform, aiming to reshape the system to better serve those historically marginalized and excluded from legal relief. She is dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers at the intersection of criminal justice and immigration, with a particular focus on expanding access to post-conviction remedies for Black and Brown communities.
At UC Berkeley, Nouhamin majored in Legal Studies with a minor in African American Studies. As a Legal Studies Honors...
The John Gardner Public Service Fellowship Program
The John Gardner Fellowship selects six outstanding seniors each spring from UC Berkeley and Stanford University. Each Fellow receives a $52,000 stipend to work for ten months in a nonprofit or government organization aligned with their public service interests.
Fellows have previously been placed at high-impact institutions such as:
The Matsui Center Washington Fellowship offers financial support for Cal undergraduate students participating in the UC Berkeley Washington Program(link is external) (UCDC). The fellowship provides a $1,000 stipend to help defray the costs of spending a semester in Washington, DC. As a part of the program, each fellow writes a blog reflecting on their experience at...
When I began my Gardner Fellowship on a swampy September day, I was hopeful of building meaningful professional relationships, learning the ins and outs of Congress, and maybe even making an impact. But I was also fearful of the unknowns that lay ahead – Would my mentor and I get along? Would I fit into the office culture? Would I have something to contribute?
During the first three months of my fellowship, I struggled to navigate complex legislative text on critical minerals, oil and gas development, and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA...
As a 2024–2025 John Gardner Public Service Fellow, I had the opportunity to work at the Possibility Lab at UC Berkeley, where I contributed to the Abundance Project—an ambitious research initiative focused on equity in public investment across California. For someone like me, a formerly incarcerated student turned policy advocate, this year was about more than research. It was about building bridges between personal experience and public systems that too often overlook people like me.
The Possibility Lab is committed to partnering with...
Ever since I began my journey in public service as a teenager, I have been deeply committed to amplifying underrepresented voices through community advocacy across all levels of government. Over time—and especially through my Gardner Fellowship—I’ve come to understand that grassroots organizing and advocacy can take many different forms. Throughout my life, I’ve consistently been involved in community-based efforts, always drawn to the power of organizing from the ground up.
During my Gardner Fellowship, my primary goal was to understand how...
Do I need to have a specific organization lined up to apply for the Gardner Fellowship?
No, you don’t need to apply with a predetermined organization or mentor. However, strong candidates should demonstrate a clear interest in a specific issue area and be familiar with potential organizations that align with their goals. After selection, Fellows will work with program staff to find a placement and mentor.
Can I use the Gardner Fellowship to launch my own organization?
No. The Fellowship is designed to place fellows...
