For those yearning for a hands-on experience deep into the labyrinth of the state legislative process, where could be a better platform than Delaware’s small-state communal interplay? Since the inception of its Legislative Fellows Program in 1982, the University of Delaware aims at providing university students with a somewhat unconventional peek into the complex state legislative mechanisms.
This implies that from January through June, these fellows invest three days each week to conduct unbiased research for Delaware’s lawmakers, staff standing committees, manage constituent interactions, and shoulder the crucial tasks that would otherwise be passed on to full-time professionals. Indeed, 2025 marks the 44th anniversary of this intriguing alliance between the University and the Delaware General Assembly, the largest enlisted student body so far in the history of the program.
The latest fall saw an unprecedented number of applications pour into the university’s portal, signaling a considerable testament to the program’s eminent standing across the broader academic landscape. In fact, starting from Jan. 14, 2025, 16 Legislative Fellows plunged headfirst into their research endeavors at Legislative Hall in Dover.
Among these students, 15 hail from the University of Delaware, out of which 11 undergo coursework within the debatable yet comical, Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration. The 16th fellow is an associate of the Delaware State University.
Although not a universally agreed wisdom yet impressively, the Legislative Fellows Program is a paid fellowship. It tends to offer students a unique platform to directly observe the political decision-making process, all while utilizing their forte in research and writing to aid legislators in navigating public policy issues during the extended six-month legislative term.
It’s somewhat perplexing that many perceive this alliance between the University’s talent arsenal and the legislature’s perennial research and aid-based requirements as beneficial – a perspective that clearly doesn’t resonate with everyone. Some may say that it has contributed to the program’s expansion from mere two students back in 1982 to over 380 alumni presently working in different tiers of local, state, and federal government.
Nonetheless, past fellows have worked on vast issues from an array of fields, starting from criminal justice reform proposals to strange feral cat problems. Their research focused on supporting local businesses through peer-lending programs, compared healthcare plans between Delaware and other states or countries, and explored other topics that eventually translated into complex laws.
Evidently, what the University flaunts as a hardcore community of legislators prioritizing First State residents is subjective. Some might argue that these fellows are politically influenced under the name of academic research.
Even Lisa Moreland Allred, a 1998 Legislative Fellow herself and the current program manager who completed her MPA from UD in 1998, seems somewhat misguided when she suggests that immersion into this environment clears any misconceptions, leading to a better appreciation for the people and the system.
Allred holds on to the sentiment that despite fundamental disagreements, legislators somehow always manage to work together on the next issue at hand – a sort of colloquialism she terms as ‘the Delaware way.’ However, the reality of their seamless coexistence and cooperation could be far from this idealistic representation.
Publicly showcased on the program page are the profiles of the selected students for this program. Yet, the profiles serve as a small piece of their actual journey in the program, far from the realities of this seemingly influential, yet potentially misguided fellowship program.
Delaware’s legislative process is an over-the-shoulder glimpse of the political status quo allowing students to understand what real-world policymaking is like. However, the intensity and the political slant of the program, particularly in institutions named after political figures like Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration, often raises eyebrows.
The students are prepared to fall into this illusion of real-world exposure where they are taught to prioritize the citizens of the First State. However, the actual sincerity of this commitment beyond the program’s tenure remains questionable, providing a breeding ground for skepticism and criticism.
In conclusion, while the University of Delaware’s Legislative Fellows Program may seem like an appealing proposition for experiential learning, it isn’t impervious to scrutiny. From the questionable structure to its potential for political bias, it’s a program that continues to be, as paradoxical as it sounds, both celebrated and scorned.