Through fellowships, courses, and collaborative research, CCDE prepares students and practitioners to lead with integrity and inclusivity. We cultivate leaders who can navigate contentious discussions, build consensus, and advance evidence‑based solutions to pressing public challenges.
CCDE Capstone Fellows
Each year, the CCDE Capstone Fellowship works with Democracy Policy Initiative to support graduate students at the Goldman School pursuing ambitious Masters thesis projects that strengthen democratic institutions, expand civic participation, and promote more inclusive and accountable governance. Through funding, mentorship, and connections to community and government partners, the Center invests in the next generation of democracy-focused policy leaders.
UC in D.C. Fellows
Each year, a small group of Berkeley undergraduates trade the classroom for the nation’s capital, and the CCDE helps make that possible. The Center offers fellowships to students accepted into the UC Washington Program (UCDC). Fellows spend a semester in Washington, D.C., combining full-time coursework with internships in public service, policy and the nonprofit sector.
“Student education and involvement are key to our mission,” says CCDE advisory board member Selma Meyerowitz. Since 2010, the Center has sponsored close to 100 undergraduates aiming to ignite their passion for public service while in the nation’s capital.
For our Fellows, Washington becomes a living laboratory. Working inside the institutions that shape public life, they see firsthand the political, ideological and cultural forces that drive conflict. They also see what makes productive problem-solving possible, locally, nationally and globally. They return to Berkeley with those insights in hand, carrying them into the classroom and their broader community.
