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Matsui Center Washington Fellowship Blogs

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...

2024 Gardner Fellows: Making My Mark: A Gardner Fellow's Capitol Hill Story

July 10, 2025

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...

2024 Gardner Fellows: Reimagining Public Investment Through Lived Experience

July 10, 2025

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...

2024 Gardner Fellows: Amplifying Voices, Advancing Justice: My Journey in Local Public Service

July 10, 2025

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...

The Library Corner

News, stories, and updates from the Institute of Governmental Studies Library Desk.

A History of Berkeley

August 4, 2025

A History of Berkeley

Welcome back to another dive into California's local history!

If you've been following our blog on the CA Local Documents Digitization Project website, you know that the Institute of...

LoCALDig Blog

News, stories, and updates from the California Local Government Documents digitization (LoCAL Dig) project.