The New Mexico Fellowship is an 18-month paid public policy fellowship, with the first year housed at the Institute for Policy Studies in our Washington, D.C. office, and the final six months working with an organization in New Mexico.

This fellowship program seeks to help mentor a new generation of progressive leaders in New Mexico. It’s an opportunity for college graduates and/or young scholar-activists residing in the state to get training in public scholarship, a term we define as the connection between grassroots activism and policy research. 

Through the fellowship, participants sharpen their knowledge of the progressive landscape and policy world and develop their capacities to think, write, research, and make connections to social movements. Each fellow receives hands-on experience by working closely with one or two IPS projects under the individualized mentorship from our IPS public scholars.  

After a year, fellows will return to New Mexico for a six month paid placement in a local organization. The Fellow will work with our advisory board, which includes former Fellows, to find a placement in New Mexico that is a fit for their skills and interests.

We believe that each scholar-activist brings a unique skillset to the table. Upon acceptance, we tailor the fellowship to participants’ personal interests by pairing them with IPS projects for two six-month segments where they will become an essential part of that project’s staff. Fellows also have the opportunity to learn effective fundraising and communication strategies by working with the development and communications teams in addition to their personalized projects.