John Gardner Fellowship

2025 Gardner Fellows: Beyond the Courtroom: Redefining Justice and Reentry at the Freedom Project (San Francisco Public Defender’s Office)

September 8, 2026
Nouhamin Leoulekal

As a recent graduate with a degree in Legal Studies and a minor in African American Studies, I entered the John Gardner Fellowship eager to learn how legal advocacy can create meaningful change in people's lives. Through my placement with the Freedom Project at the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, I have gained a deeper understanding of what justice looks like beyond the courtroom and the importance of supporting individuals long after their release from incarceration.

The Freedom Project, founded in 2019, is dedicated to decarceration...

2025 Gardner Fellows: From Curiosity to Purpose: Discovering Environmental Peacebuilding

September 8, 2026
Karishma Goswami

During my final year at UC Berkeley, I started, for the first time in my college experience, to explore global environmental governance; through my thesis where I conducted a comparative political study of Chinese and U.S. solar development policy, through classes about multilateral environmental governance mechanisms, and more. Since my major concentration was U.S. Environmental Policy and Management, much of my study had been insularly focused on policy reform and environmental challenges plaguing the United States. But it struck me that climate change is a global issue,...

2025 Gardner Fellows: Learning to Speak Up: My Time with the Senate HELP Committee

September 8, 2026
Antonio Cáceres

I was not sure what to expect when I walked into the Senate Hart Office Building in early September. The team I was joining included the oversight staff and chief counsel of the Senate HELP Committee under Ranking Member Bernie Sanders. As a 22-year-old lacking a legal education I felt like there was nothing I could possibly say that would be insightful to my new colleagues. On the first day, I read the office manual as thoroughly as I could and hoped for the best during my first weeks ever working on Capitol Hill.

Our Oversight Team meetings...

John Gardner Fellowship

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:

• California Governor’s Office...

Mentor A Gardner Fellow

Gardner Fellows are among UC Berkeley’s most accomplished undergraduates, selected for their commitment to public service, leadership potential, and academic excellence. They bring strong analytical skills, initiative, and a demonstrated record of impact to their placements. Why Host a Fellow? Gain a highly capable and motivated contributor Bring fresh ideas and energy to your team Supplement your team in a cost-effective way Contribute to the...

2026 Gardner Fellows

Rory Powell

Class of 2026
2026 John Gardner Fellowship

Rory Powell (she/her)

Rory’s work centers on the intersection of technology, policy, and society. She recognizes that we are in an era of unprecedented computational expansion, where the speed of AI development has fundamentally outrun the pace of regulatory and security oversight. Rory is committed to closing this gap by advocating for frameworks that protect civil liberties without stifling the potential for progress.

At UC Berkeley, Rory double majored in Cognitive Science and Legal Studies with a minor in Data...

Laila Hamidi

Class of 2026
2026 John Gardner Fellowship
2024 Cal-in-Sacramento
Laila Hamidi is a fourth year at UC Berkeley pursuing simultaneous degrees in Environmental Economics and Policy and Geography, with a minor in City Planning. Growing up in suburban Orange, CA gave her personal experience with the crises of housing affordability and car dependence that threaten the future of our state. As an intern at the Orange County Transportation Authority, Laila worked hard to expand funding for rail transit infrastructure threatened by climate change in Southern California. As a Cal-in-Sacramento Fellow, Laila interned in the Capitol Office of Assemblymember Alex Lee...

Amelia Monsour

Class of 2026
2026 John Gardner Fellowship
2025 Schaeffer Fellowship
2024 Cal-in-Sacramento
2024 Jo Freeman Women in Politics Fellow
2023 Democracy Camp Berkeley Fellow

Amelia Monsour is a senior majoring in political science and sociology with a minor in public policy at the University of California, Berkeley. A proud graduate of Los Angeles public schools, Amelia is passionate about addressing inequities in education and supporting California’s public school system. She is also passionate about addressing economic inequality and hopes to pursue a career in public service and law to advocate for economic justice and educational equity.

Throughout her time at UC Berkeley, Amelia has continued to develop her interest in public...

John Gardner Fellowship Blogs

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.