Launching a New, Two-Year Fellowship to Position CUNY Students as the Next Generation of Civic Engagement Leaders
By Patrick Hart, Policy Program Director
The Fellowship, offered in partnership with the NYC Campaign Finance Board, aims to build a corps of civically engaged leaders to embark on a two-year program, training them on voter engagement and education as well as community involvement during their last year of school and a year after. These students—all from CUNY schools—will be embedded within community-based organizations to inform, educate and empower voters in those communities.
New Yorkers are as diverse as they come, whether it be age, race, ethnicity, where you grew up, what high school you went to, or what drives you in life. All these different pieces play a role in each person’s unique path and needs, and those of their communities. Elected officials and the policies they enact should reflect that—and our newly released Civic Engagement Fellowship aims to empower the next generation of leaders leading the charge.
The Fellowship is a new initiative from CUNY ISLG and the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB), a nonpartisan, independent city agency that empowers New Yorkers to make a greater impact on their elections. The Fellowship aims to tap into the wealth of exemplary CUNY students to build a corps of civically engaged leaders who will embark on a two-year program, training them on voter engagement and education as well as community involvement. These students will then be embedded within community-based organizations (CBOs) to inform, educate, and empower voters in those communities.
The Fellowship aims to tap into the wealth of exemplary CUNY students to build a corps of civically engaged leaders who will embark on a two-year program, training them on voter engagement and education as well as community involvement.
In addition to building the capacity of these CBOs, the Fellowship will provide CUNY students entering their senior year in fall 2025 with an opportunity for hands-on learning and projects focused on building civic engagement and voter participation. It will also build connection and shared learning, as the Fellows will have many opportunities for group-based learning at CUNY ISLG. Beginning as a paid, full-time program in summer 2025, the Fellows will shift to part-time at their CBOs for the Fall and Spring semesters before returning to the CBO full-time after graduation in May 2026.
This is the pilot cohort of Fellows. This year, we will be supporting up to 15 Fellows and pairing them with community-based organizations in the South Bronx (Community Districts 1-7). Because this is a new program, things will often be in flux and the new class of Fellows will have an exciting opportunity to shape the direction and future of the Fellowship. That said, the Fellowship will roughly follow this schedule:
July 2025: One week introduction boot camp. Fellows will have an opportunity to get to know each other, learn about the concepts underlying the Fellowship, and match with a community-based nonprofit where they will be doing their civic engagement work.
July-August 2025: Fellows will work full-time at their host nonprofit, including attending weekly check-ins and learning sessions at CUNY ISLG. Their nonprofit work will focus on civic engagement and voter participation.
September 2025-May 2026: During their senior year at CUNY, Fellows will continue to work part-time at their host nonprofits and will have regular meetings with their cohort at CUNY ISLG.
June 2026-June 2027: Fellows will work full-time at their nonprofit host organizations, while still having periodic meetings of their whole cohort.
This is a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor of an exciting new Fellowship that includes paid full-time employment for a year post-graduation, as well as part-time work throughout the school year. The CUNY community and New York City’s nonprofit and grassroots networks have always led the way in building community engagement and social justice, and CUNY ISLG is excited to work with these organizations and CFB to create a new avenue for civic engagement.
Check out the full listing and any updates on our Careers page.
Photo by Mirko Vitali on Adobe Stock.