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City of Gainesville Fellowship

Applications Now Closed

The application period for the next cohort of the City of Gainesville fellowship will open in mid-summer, 2024. We provide this legacy information for future applicants.

We encourage applicants to review all the information below and watch this recorded info session for additional context. For your convenience, we provide a copy of a prior application at this link.

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The City of Gainesville and the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida offer the annual City of Gainesville Local Government Fellowship program.

Due to reorganization within the City of Gainesville, the City will offer fellowships only in the Office of the City Clerk.

Under the direction of City staff, students who are selected as fellows will work part time (about 15 hrs/wk) during the fall and spring semesters of an entire academic year. Students will also register for at least one internship credit hour at UF during both the fall and spring semesters. (More information on the credit hour requirement can be found in the FAQs section below.)

Applications will open in mid-summer, 2024. Please watch this space for updates.

2023-24 Focus Area

The fellowship provides students with opportunities to perform project-based work striving to improve real-world, operational city issues and meet strategic goals.

We seek to recruit fellows as a cohort who will mutually support each other in project-based objectives throughout the entirety of an academic year. This team will work closely with each other as well as city departments and organizational leadership.

The focus area for the 2023-2024 fellowships is policy research. A more complete descriptions of the position is below.

View a copy of the City of GNV Fellowship Application.

Selection of program participants is decided by the City of Gainesville after an initial screening with the Bob Graham Center. Interviews with City staff will begin in early April with final offers made to students later in the month.

In order to support the students’ success, each fellow will be assigned a mentor from within city government. The student will meet with their mentors consistently throughout the fellowship year to assess the progress they are making and address any concerns.

Previous fellows created the informational video below. Students interested in learning more about the program may contact Dr. Kevin Bird at kbird@ufl.edu for additional information.

FAQs

What positions are available?
In 2023-24, only positions in policy research are available. A more complete description is below.

What majors should apply to the fellowship?

Students from all majors are encouraged to apply. The city is eager to invite students from areas within the Colleges of the Arts; Education; Business; Design, Construction & Planning; Engineering; Health & Human Performance; Liberal Arts & Sciences; and Journalism & Communications.

Do I apply as a member of a team?

No. While fellows will work closely with one another, group or team applications will not be considered. All applications need to be completed individually.

What classes will I take as part of my fellowship?

All students are required to take at least one internship credit in both the fall and spring semesters, but are encouraged to take more. You can take internship credits through your own department or through the Bob Graham Center (IDS4940).

Will the fellowship be paid?

The fellows will be paid the city’s hourly living wage, $15.00 per hour.

Detailed Position Description


Policy Research
Are you interested in how ideas solidify into public policy?The Policy Research Fellowship may be an opportunity to be part of that process by working with our Policy Oversight Administrator to research, develop, and present policy proposals on behalf of the City Commissioners and/or the City Commission. You may be a good fit if you are passionate about improving our community, willing to think broadly and creatively when seeking solutions, have strong research and writing skills and are comfortable presenting your research in public.We are looking for someone who can:

  • Comfortably research and analyze both broad and narrow topics to then craft a highly-readable report
  • Communicate effectively with a variety of audiences, including the Mayor, City Commissioners, and members of the public
  • Balance multiple projects at once while working both independently and as part of a larger team