The funds in Barbara Jordan’s name are invaluable in helping the LBJ School enhance educational and professional development opportunities for our students. Fellowship support is a key part of this endeavor, with fellowships acting as an important recruiting tool that often solidifies a candidate’s decision to attend the LBJ School.
The funds also provide students with stipends so that they can pursue unpaid internships. These unpaid internships – both in the United States and abroad – give students valuable hands-on experience, supplement curriculum in the classroom, and help students define their career interests. In addition, the funds support development activities which include professional and research conferences, career fairs, job interviews, and professional development training. They also support several activities and initiatives at the LBJ School that are integral to the culture and mission of our school.
Among others, these funds support the Barbara Jordan National Forum, an annual event that honors Barbara Jordan and her contributions through a series of student-planned activities.
LBJ School Fellowships
Consideration for any fellowship includes the following:
- Good academic standing (a minimum GPA of 3.0 and not on academic probation)
- Enrolled full-time in courses that credit toward LBJ School degree (a minimum of nine hours in long semesters or a minimum of three hours in the summer)
- Meet the criteria and eligibility of the fellowship for which they are applying
Barbara Jordan Professional Development Fund
The Barbara Jordan Professional Development Fund is available to all full-time, attending, degree-seeking LBJ School students in good academic standing. These fellowship awards can be used to offset costs associated with academic and professional experiences, such as traveling to a conference or an interview.
- Eligible Students: Master's students
- Deadline: Rolling
- Award Amount: Individual master's students can receive up to $250 annually until the funds are exhausted
Barbara Jordan Excellence Fund
The Barbara Jordan Excellence Fund is available to full-time master's students in good academic standing. Awards from this endowment can be used to supplement any available Barbara Jordan Professional Development Funds to assist students in covering the costs associated with exceptional opportunities to develop policy and governing skills. For example, these funds may aid students who are selected to present research at a major conference, testify before a legislative body, or similar opportunities.
- Eligible Students: Master's students
- Deadline: Rolling
- Award Amount: Varies
Barbara Jordan Baines Report Fellowship Fund
The Barbara Jordan Baines Report Fellowship Fund is available to students interested in gaining skills in policy writing and storytelling, as well as exercising leadership through managing the student-run publication, The Baines Report. Both the fall and spring awards provide $500 support towards travel to the Journal of Public and International Affairs reading weekend at Princeton University, contingent on JPIA's invitation.
- Eligible Students: Master's students
- Deadline: Fall TBD and Spring TBD
- Award Amount: Students are eligible to receive up to $750 per semester
Endowments
Barbara Jordan Fund for Internships
The Barbara Jordan Fund was endowed to help students at the LBJ School pursue their goal of moving into public service upon receiving their degree. This fund honors Barbara Jordan, a lifelong advocate for social justice who became the first African-American woman elected to the Texas Senate. Barbara Jordan served as a professor at the LBJ School, where she held the Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial Chair in National Policy from 1979 until her death in 1996.
Criteria: Provides financial support on an as-needed basis for such activities as unpaid internships, travel to internships and internship interviews.
Funding Levels for Internships / Policy Apprenticeships
Students applying for internship fellowships with internships/Policy Apprenticeships are eligible for amounts based on eligibility, available resources and internship location.
These fellowships are not guaranteed and will be awarded until available funds are exhausted. The amounts are determined each year by the fellowship committee. Amounts will vary based on location of internships/Policy Apprenticeship.