University of Delaware Statehouse News Fellowship
The University of Delaware Department of Communication and the interdisciplinary Journalism Minor offer the Statehouse News Fellowship.
Details:
Spans three semesters for a total of six credits
Winter: JOUR 440
Understanding How Government Works — 1-credit Winter Session Hybrid
This course provides an overview of the Delaware General Assembly and the legislative process, as well as the expectations and responsibilities of the fellowship. Fellows will tour the Delaware statehouse in Dover, meet with House and Senate staff, and may attend the opening session, which includes either the sitting Governor's State of the State address or inauguration. Meeting times will vary.
Spring: JOUR 441
Covering Delaware’s Legislature — 3-credit Spring Semester
This is the experiential core of the Statehouse News Fellowship, with Fellows reporting on the activities of the Delaware Legislature, often from the state capitol in Dover. Fellows will track legislation, attend news conferences, and observe House and Senate sessions to provide a summary of the day and week's activities to local news organizations. Students will connect with professional news editors, producers, and reporters and may be assigned specific stories for coverage. The legislature generally meets on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with exact times varying
Summer: JOUR 442
Reporting on the Legislative Session Outcomes — 2-credit First Summer Session
Fellows continue their reporting, tracking the outcome of proposed legislation leading up to the last day of the session on June 30th. June is generally the busiest time for the legislature, culminating with a last-minute rush, especially for the state budget, grant, and bond legislation. Meeting times are the same as in the spring but with extended hours on June 30th.
Open to sophomore and junior journalism minors
* interested seniors please contact nancyk@udel.edu
Preference given to Communication, English, Political Science, Public Policy majors, and Political Communication minors.
About the Fellowship
As an academic program, the Statehouse News Fellowship is offered by the University of Delaware Department of Communication through the interdisciplinary Journalism Minor. The Fellowship serves as a community-focused program to address the increasing attrition in local political news reporting. More than an internship, the Fellowship provides a professional learning experience modeled after the teaching hospital approach.
The University of Delaware Statehouse News Fellowship joins more than 35 university- or college-led statehouse reporting initiatives in 30 states across the country, including the University of Florida, Louisiana State University, Northwestern University, the University of Maryland, and the University of Vermont.
As Statehouse News Fellows, students will write daily and weekly summaries of legislative activities, submit the summary to local news organizations, and write a story analyzing the process of one bill’s path through the legislature. Statehouse News Fellows will also have the opportunity to accept assignments from local news organizations, which will be managed directly by the local news editor.
Fellows are selected through a competitive application process. A committee, consisting of the Journalism Minor Director and two faculty members, will review the applications and conduct interviews with the finalists.
The Delaware General Assembly is a part-time legislative body and meets most Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from January to June with several recess breaks. The legislative calendar aligns well with the Fellowship schedule, giving students the flexibility to enroll in additional courses. Fellows will coordinate their reporting schedules with the help of the adviser. The director of the UD Journalism minor will serve as a mentor and adviser to the fellows.
Application and useful information
The 2026 Fellowship application deadline is October 15, 2025.
Apply here: Statehouse News Fellowship Application
For more information, please get in touch with Nancy Karibjanian - nancyk@udel.edu
Read what student legislative reporters publish around the country:
University of Florida: Fresh Take Florida
Louisiana State University: LSU Manship School Statehouse Bureau
Northwestern University: Medill Illinois News Bureau
University of Maryland: Capital News Service
University of Vermont: Capital News Service