Paragon offers semester-based tech policy projects (Spring, Summer, Fall) for university students and new grads to work on real policy issues at the state and local level.
Applications for the Summer 2025 cohort are now closed.
Check back later for the Fall 2025 cohort apps.
The Paragon Policy Fellowship connects students and recent graduates with opportunities in the science and tech policy space. Fellows typically spend 5–10 hours a week researching and writing a policy brief on key issues for their state or local governments. Our Fellows work on pressing tech policy issues such as broadband infrastructure, renewable energy, and AI procurement. The Fellowship is meant to create a community of future tech policy leaders, and our project-based experiences are designed to introduce students to the tech policy landscape and grow their network and impact through local community engagement.
Fellows in good standing will be compensated with a $500 stipend.
This Fellowship is an entry-level opportunity geared towards undergraduate/graduate students and recent graduates based in the U.S. interested in entering the tech policy space. As such, we are not expecting applicants to have extensive experience in tech policy and will be evaluating applications based on demonstrated interest in the tech policy sphere (whether it be through relevant coursework, extracurricular activities, or other lived experiences). We enthusiastically welcome applications from those of all backgrounds and are open to accepting prospective Fellows from a wide range of educational backgrounds (i.e. not restricted to any specific major).
Minimum Qualifications
We currently offer two tracks: one for Fellows and one for Project Leads.
Track 1 - Fellows
Each Paragon project is made up of 6-8 Fellows. When selecting Fellows, we care the most about a potential Fellow's passion and interest in the tech policy and public service space (though past experience in tech policy helps). Fellows will be responsible for conducting key research in their government partner's area of interest and collaborating with other Fellows on drafting deliverables. Paragon supports its Fellows through its engaging guest speaker series, informative Policy workshops, and accessible office hours with members of the Organizing Team.
Track 2 - Project Leads
A Project Lead directs each Paragon project. Project Leads serve as key liaisons between the Fellows and government partners, facilitating communication and cooperation to ensure the alignment of project goals and government expectations. Project Leads must balance taking care of all administrative responsibilities so their Fellows can focus on the substantive portion of the project and shaping the overall direction and vision of the project. Generally, Project Leads are graduate or Ph.D. students, though undergraduates with extensive leadership or project management experience are also encouraged to apply.
Following the initial application round, we select a group of finalists to interview in a group setting. At this stage, students will be organized into teams of 7–8 and tasked to complete a mock policy assignment over the course of one week. From there, we will select Fellows based on their demonstrated effort, engagement with the rest of the team, and ability to collaborate asynchronously. We will select Project Leads based on their leadership qualities, problem-solving ability, and effectiveness in organizing and managing projects.
If you are only applying to a Fellow position, we do not expect any previous policy expertise and will not evaluate your fit based on the deliverable. Instead, we will focus on how you approach this assignment and work as a team. If you are applying to be a Project Lead, we will be particularly interested in how you navigate challenges and motivate team members to complete the project.
Below is the timeline for the Summer 2025 cohort.
We offer semester-based tech policy projects 3 times a year: Spring, Summer, and Fall. The Spring Fellowship runs from late January to early May, our Summer program runs from late May to early September, and the Fall Fellowship runs from early October to late December. Applications for each cohort open roughly two months before each cohort's start date.
Applications are now closed for the Summer 2025 cohort. All applicants will hear back by May 16th whether they advanced to the second round.