2026 Summer Fellowship Program
The Rhode Island Department of State is now accepting applications for the 2026 Summer Fellowship Program.
This program offers qualified college students the opportunity to gain valuable real-world experience while making a meaningful impact on the residents of Rhode Island.
Applicants must be currently enrolled in a college or university and available to work Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Past Summer Fellows at the Department have contributed to a wide range of engaging and impactful projects, including:
- Assisting in the planning of the 2024–2025 Student Civic Liaison Program and the 2025 Civic Leadership Summit, reviewing and organizing files and data from previous years, and researching potential topics and speakers.
- Working with large datasets to ensure the permanent preservation of state regulations, guidance documents, and declaratory orders for both the Administrative Records Office and the State Archives.
- Researching and streamlining outreach efforts with community organizations and municipalities to help determine which community events the Department should participate in.
- Collaborating with the Deputy Director of Communications to enhance the Department’s social media and web presence and promote the work of the Department’s divisions.
- Liaising with municipal clerks to facilitate the transfer of existing trade name records, conducting testing, data entry, and quality assurance for indexing municipal records into the Division’s newly developed Trade Name database.
- Supporting outreach to municipalities, historical organizations, and other partners related to the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and Rhode Island’s role in the American Revolution.
Participants in the Summer Fellowship Program will work with professionals in their field, build connections with state political leaders, and have the opportunity to present their summer projects to Gregg M. Amore, Rhode Island’s Secretary of State.
Fellowship Details
- Program Dates: June 1 – August 7
- Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Compensation: $17.00 per hour
2026 Fellowship Projects
This year’s fellows may work on projects such as:
- Assisting with the planning of the 2026–2027 Student Civic Liaison Program and the 2027 Civic Leadership Summit, including organizing previous program materials and researching potential speakers and topics.
- Supporting the State Archives by developing templates and tools for its traveling exhibit program and creating downloadable resources for organizations interested in displaying historic archival materials.
- Researching and improving outreach processes with community organizations and municipalities to determine which community events the Department should attend.
- Developing goals and work plans to improve voter registration, voter turnout, and voter education.
- Working on initiatives to increase access to library resources and expand digital access to print collections.
- Assisting with the creation of a data transparency tool for Elections Information, including the design of a data repository, dashboards, and related tools.
- Streamlining key Human Resources and Finance internal processes to provide more efficient and modern services to Department employees.
Fellows will be matched with a project based on their coursework, experience, and interests.
Application Deadline: Tuesday, March 31st
The Rhode Island Department of State considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Apply today and start making a positive impact on communities across Rhode Island.