Nevins Fellowship Applications Due February 17th

NCDD friends, the McCourtney Institute for Democracy, is offering an incredible opportunity for D&D organizations to host an intern from their Nevins Democracy Leaders Program. The Nevins Fellows program, presented by the McCourtney Institute for Democracy, provides students with hands-on experience at organizations dedicated to bridging divides and fostering collaboration. Through coursework and immersive internships, students develop the skills necessary to facilitate conversations and work toward bipartisan solutions. Applications for the Summer 2025 cohort are now open, with a Friday, February 17 deadline. Learn more in the blog post below and on their website here. 

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Information for Employers

The McCourtney Institute for Democracy provides up to $5,000 toward the cost of hosting a Nevins Fellow for a summer internship. Our students come to their internship sites well prepared and ready to get to work.

Nevins Fellows have interned at the following organizations, just to name a few:

• Everyday Democracy
• Millennial Action Project
• Public Agenda
• Unite America

Much like students apply for the fellowship, organizations apply to host a fellow. Nonprofits, government organizations, nonprofit media organizations, or other groups committed to building and sustaining democracy can complete the form below to host a fellow.

Students selected to participate in the program rank their top three organizations, and placements are made from there. Summer 2025 placements will be finalized April 1.

The Nevins Fellows program allows students to complete internships at organizations that bring people together to solve common problems.

Students begin by taking a Democratic Leadership class that introduces them to a different side of democracy—one that focuses not on campaigns and elections, but on bringing people together to work on common problems. Students learn about organizations doing this kind of work, and develop the skills necessary to facilitate conversations about community issues. 

At the end of the course, students who are interested in completing a fellowship complete an application for a fellowship. McCourtney Institute staff select the 10 students who best demonstrate the skills and maturity necessary to meet the challenges of the fellowship program. Each student receives up to $5,000 to cover living expenses for an eight-week internship.

Much like students apply for the fellowship, organizations apply to host a fellow. Nonprofits, government organizations, nonprofit media organizations, or other groups committed to building and sustaining democracy can complete the form below to host a fellow.

Hear from a previous Nevins Fellow, Nevins Fellow Christopher Carver, a senior majoring in education and public policy, completed his internship at the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution and said the experience changed the way he thinks about political polarization and the need for bipartisan solutions.

“There are a lot of problems this country faces that people on both sides of our political spectrum agree on, but do not realize,” Carver said. “I believe engaging with individuals a person does not think they will agree with allows for that clarity to reveal itself. Through the process of taking steps towards consensus on issues, compassion and trust are also built.”

Applications must be received by email on Friday, February 17th to be considered. Submit to Christopher Beem, Managing Director, The McCourtney Institute for Democracy - [email protected].  Summer 2025 placements will be finalized April 1.

If your organization would like to host a fellow this summer, please submit the following application by https://democracy.psu.edu/education/nevins-fellows/employers/.