Bloomberg Harvard Summer Fellowships
About the Fellowship
Graduate students from across Harvard are competitively selected for an opportunity to spend the summer embedded in local government. They meaningfully contribute to improving government services and present their deliverables and recommendations to mayors, senior leaders, and other key stakeholders in the domestic and international cities.
The multidisciplinary cohort of fellows learns how to apply the tools of data-driven decision-making, human-centered design techniques, and cross-sector collaboration to help city leaders drive government performance and address pressing social problems.
2024 Fellowships Included:
Affordable Housing
Expanding Access to Affordable Public Housing through the Iowa City Housing Authority
Iowa City, Iowa
Low-Cost but High Quality: Implementing an Affordable Rental Rehabilitation Program in Bethlehem
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Climate Action
Build Out of Cape Town’s Heat Action Plan
Cape Town, South Africa
Crafting and Communicating Torino’s Narrative as a Climate-forward City
Torino, Italy
Data-driven Decision-making
Improving the Integrity of Income Data for Realistic Planning and Informed Public Assistance Provision
uMngeni, South Africa
Enhancing City Services and Improving Transparency
Salem, Oregon
Government & Technology
A Data-Driven, Customer-Informed Approach to Developing a New City-Wide Customer Service Strategy
Hamilton, Canada
Innovating City Services with Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Strategic Exploration
Newport News, Virginia
Inclusive Governance
Engaging Employees, Strengthening Community, and Building Trust through Improved Communications
Tracy, California
Public Leadership
Creating Safer Pathways into Public Office for Women
Wellington, New Zealand
Public Safety
Understanding and Addressing Disparities in Police Vehicle Traffic Stops
Columbia, Missouri
Improving Public Safety Response through Innovation
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Public Space
Growing Connection: Innovation through Implementing High-Performance Public Spaces
Port St. Lucie, Florida
Rethinking the Ottawa Hand in Hand Policy
Ottawa, Canada
Ensuring Healthy Safe Parks
Louisville, Kentucky
Public Transit
Rerouting: Solving the Financial Dilemma of Public Transportation
Tallahassee, Florida
Urban Planning
Addressing Livability Challenges in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods
Anaheim, California
Hear from Summer Fellows
This fellowship debunked misconceptions I had about local government in terms of professional development opportunities and made me seriously consider working in local government upon graduation.Kiron Chandy
GSD MUP 2025
2024 Summer Fellow
This experience taught me invaluable lessons about the complexities of urban policy and the power of local government to effect change. This summer reinforced my commitment to public service and my belief in the transformative power of well-crafted, empathetic policy.Josh Young
HKS MPP 2025
2024 Summer Fellow
I had always heard how…local governments were close to the people so you could see the impact…I really saw this wisdom come true this summer. The fellowship made city government come to life for me in a way that I would have never been able to experience otherwise and made me seriously consider working in local government in the future.Jordan Weatherl
HGSE Ed.M. 2025
2024 Summer Fellow
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bloomberg Harvard Summer Fellowship?
The Bloomberg Harvard Summer Fellowship aims to inspire careers in local government through paid, 10-week summer experiences. Summer Fellows provide cities with critical, short-term capacity by deploying a variety of skill sets to make progress on priority challenges.
Where do Summer Fellows work?
Summer Fellows work in select cities from the current Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative cohort. Cities are determined and shared with candidates in the application along with their corresponding project scopes. One fellow is selected for each of the Summer Fellowship cities.
What kind of projects do Summer Fellows work on?
Summer Fellows work on projects in a variety of focus areas (some examples are listed below).
- Civic Engagement
- Climate Actions
- Economic Development
- Government & Technology
- Neighborhood Reinvestment
Who is eligible to become a Summer Fellow?
Current Harvard graduate students (including soon-to-be graduates) are eligible for the Bloomberg Harvard Summer Fellowship program. Students from across all Harvard graduate and professional schools are encouraged to apply.
International students are eligible to apply but may need to check with the Harvard International Office to discuss specific visa requirements.
What does the application process include?
The Summer Fellowship application prompts candidates to rank their top 3 cities/projects. Furthermore, the application will require applicants to explain their interest in the selections made, demonstrate their overall critical and analytical thinking skills, and present their experiences applicable to the project or project area. Finalists will be invited to interview with select cities.
When does the fellowship take place?
While specific start and end dates are determined by each fellow in conversation with their city supervisor, the summer fellowship takes place over a 10-week period between late May and mid-August.
What support do Summer Fellows receive?
Summer Fellows receive support from several individuals throughout their experience. Each fellow is assigned a faculty advisor, staff champion, and cohort buddy. These individuals provide different levels of support for fellows to successfully complete their work. Additionally, the Bloomberg Harvard Summer Fellowship program provides a cohort model that encourages community building.
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