John Gardner Fellowship

Undergraduate young Latino man, young South Asian woman, young African-American woman standing outside on stairs at UC Berkeley

Blog: IGS Fellows in the World - Gardner Fellows

The John Gardner Public Service Fellowship Program 

The John Gardner Fellowship selects six outstanding seniors each spring from UC Berkeley and Stanford University. Each Fellow receives a $52,000 stipend to work for ten months in a nonprofit or government organization aligned with their public service interests.

Fellows have previously been placed at high-impact institutions such as:

• California Governor’s Office

• Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Oversight Committee

• Environmental Law Institute

• San Francisco Public Defender’s Office

Each Fellow is paired with a senior-level mentor who provides professional guidance, exposure, and growth opportunities well beyond what is typically available to recent graduates.

The goal of the Fellowship is to create meaningful, postgraduate leadership experiences and support UC Berkeley and Stanford’s most promising students in pursuing careers in public service. UC Berkeley students can apply through the link above.

Stanford students should visit the Haas Center for Public Service for application information. 


Application Deadline:

Monday, October 20, 2025 | 11:59 PM


Eligibility

Graduating seniors from all majors with a strong commitment to public service. Eligible applicants include UC Berkeley students graduating between Summer 2025 and Summer 2026.

Next year’s eligibility will include seniors graduating in December 2026, May 2027, and Summer 2027.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and service experiences. If you are passionate about public service and have demonstrated leadership, we strongly encourage you to apply.

Learn more about the Gardner Fellowship


Information Session #1: In Person 

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 | 4:00pm 
Harris Room, Institute of Governmental Studies
119 Philosophy Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 

Information Session #2: Zoom 

Tuesday, September 30, 2025 | 7:00pm 

Questions?

Contact Professor Terri Bimes at bimes@berkeley.edu


Please sign up here to receive more information on the Gardner Fellowship and Matsui Center and IGS Fellowship and Grant programs.