Albany, NY - August 30, 2013 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that 80 recent graduates, representing eleven colleges and universities will make up the first class under the Excelsior Service Fellowship Program. The fellowship program established earlier this year is an initiative to bring highly talented graduates of colleges, universities, and graduate, law and professional schools into government service. Fellows will start in early September and will be placed in the Executive Chamber and at 41 state government agencies and authorities.

"Recruiting new ideas, fresh talent, and energy is a great way to transform state government as we continue to build a new New York,” said Governor Cuomo. “That is exactly what the Excelsior Service Fellows will provide for New York. Starting this September, our first class of Fellows will bring their exemplary backgrounds and new perspectives to a host of policy and operational positions in our state government.”

 

The Excelsior Service Fellowship Program will build on the success of the Empire State Fellows program that attracts early-career professionals to high-level positions within state government, and the New NY Leaders Internship Program that offers hundreds of college students an opportunity to work in state government. Excelsior Fellows work full-time alongside senior members of the administration and play a policy-influencing role in New York State with the opportunity to work on the most pressing issues of the day. Although the Excelsior Fellowship Program lasts two years, exceptional fellows may continue to serve New York State over time.

 

Under the Excelsior Service Fellowship Program, New York State has cultivated partnerships with colleges and universities across the nation, who have recruited their top academic performers to serve in state government. Schools participating to date include:

 

• Harvard’s Kennedy School
• NYU-Wagner
• Sage Colleges
• Syracuse University-Maxwell School
• Morehouse College
• Columbia University-Barnard College
• Fordham Law School
• NYU Law School
• Albany Law School
• CUNY-Baruch College
• Rockefeller University