Statehouse News Fellowship

Communication

The Capital Building in Dover, Delaware

Program at a glance

Credits: 6 credits over three semesters
Course sequence: JOUR 440 (winter session), JOUR 441 (spring semester), JOUR 442 (first summer session)
Location: Delaware General Assembly in Dover, with hybrid and on-campus components
Who can apply: Sophomore and junior journalism minors (with note for interested seniors)
Application deadline: Oct. 15, 2025

Statehouse News Fellowship

The University of Delaware Statehouse News Fellowship is a three-semester, six-credit program for journalism minors who want hands-on experience covering the Delaware General Assembly. Fellows report directly from the state capitol in Dover, working with professional editors and news organizations while earning academic credit.

Fellowship experience and expectations

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 is community-focused and addresses the decline in local political news reporting. More than an internship, it provides a professional learning experience modeled on the teaching-hospital approach, where students learn by doing under close guidance.

The University of Delaware Statehouse News Fellowship joins more than 35 university- and college-led statehouse reporting initiatives in 30 states across the country, including programs at the University of Florida, Louisiana State University, Northwestern University, the University of Maryland and the University of Vermont.

What fellows do

As Statehouse News Fellows, students:

Write daily and weekly summaries of legislative activity.
Submit summaries and stories to local news organizations.
Report and write an in-depth story analyzing one bill’s path through the legislature.
May accept additional assignments from local news organizations, managed directly by local editors.

Schedule and support

The Delaware General Assembly is a part-time legislative body that meets most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from January through June, with several recess breaks. This schedule aligns with the fellowship’s three-course sequence and gives students flexibility to enroll in additional courses.

Fellows coordinate their reporting schedules with the program adviser. The director of the UD Journalism minor serves as a mentor and adviser throughout the fellowship.