A dozen college students in business attire ducked under the scaffolding of the Texas State Capitol Building for the legislative session. They were energized. They had learned about state policies related to college access and success, practiced their communications and advocacy skills, and were ready to connect directly with state leaders during the Texas legislative session.
We know young people want to have a say in decisions that impact their lives, and Breakthrough Central Texas is taking concrete steps to respond through their Advocacy Fellowship. This fellowship is driven by a central belief: those most affected by educational policies should be the leading voices in the construction and reform of those policies.
Over a seven-month period, Fellows receive a crash course in education policy and tactics in the fall and early winter. Through virtual sessions, both group and one-on-one, students work directly with Breakthrough staff, experts, legislative staffers, organizers, and coalition partners to learn about and interrogate policies at the local, state, and federal levels that impact college access and success for first-generation students. Fellows are expected to devote 10 to 15 hours a week to the fellowship, and they earn a stipend for their work.
Fellows also receive support and opportunity outside of Breakthrough. For example, they participate in coalitions with other peer organizations that offer student-led policy fellowships. Throughout the experience, students come together for summits and training, including the NCAN Leadership Summit in Washington, DC, one of the most esteemed convenings in the country. Fellows who attend visit staffers in Congress to advocate on issues like affordability, need-based aid, Pell grants, and other federal education policy issues that intersect with their own lived experience.
When the Texas state legislature session kicks off, Advocacy Fellows hit the ground at the Capitol in Austin. They conduct office visits and give testimony on relevant bills – all with the support of their fellowship community. They synthesize their advocacy and learnings in real time through practical projects: creating blog posts, one-pagers, or videos to educate fellow college students on current topics in the legislative session.
Many Advocacy Fellows go on to pursue graduate school or to work in political offices, and have reported that their fellowship experience was a springboard for interest and impact in those spaces. They leave with a spirit of civic-mindedness that accelerates any career, but many choose to pursue public policy in one form or another.
The Advocacy Fellowship is a reminder that engaging young people in civic life can start with a simple act: asking them what they think. Young people aren’t just the leaders of tomorrow – they are leading today, bringing firsthand knowledge and perspectives to halls of power. We can invite young people into conversations about the issues that shape their futures. In doing so, we may find that they have as much to teach us as we have to offer them.