Students Accepted to Capital Fellows Program

by Christopher Nielsen

The Capital Fellows Program, administered by the Center for California Studies, annually accepts an elite group of graduate-level students. Each year, the program selects 18 representatives for each of the fellowship programs in the State Senate, Assembly and executive branches, and 12 fellows for the judicial branch. 

In their respective placements, fellows are exposed to high-level policy discussions with political and state government leaders. Students have myriad opportunities to engage in public service and are encouraged throughout their tenure to contribute to the development and implementation of public policy in California. 

Within the past two years, three Political Science Department alumni have been selected as fellows. This year, Christopher Nielsen, a June 2014 political science and history graduate, is in the Senate Fellows Program, working in the office of Senator Mike McGuire. Last year, Christina Hulick (B.A., Political Science, 2013) completed the Senate Fellows Program in the office of Senator Anthony Cannella, while Taylor Roschen (MPP, 2013; B.A., Political Science and History, 2011), completed the Executive Fellows Program in the California Department of Food & Agriculture. Both Hulick and Roschen continued as staff employees with their respective branches after their fellowships ended. 

“It’s so exciting to immediately utilize my academic learning from studying political science at Cal Poly in a way that allows me to live up to the university’s Learn by Doing philosophy,” said Nielsen.

Roschen added, “Cal Poly provided me with a strong foundation to excel in this prestigious program. I am proud to be one of many Mustang representatives serving the public.”  

For more information on the Capital Fellows Program, visit: http://www.csus.edu/calst/capital_fellows_programs_overview.html.