Resident Fellows immerse themselves into the Harvard community. They reside on campus, mentor undergraduate students, hold weekly office hours and lead an eight-week, not-for-credit study group on a particular subject according to their experience, interests, and expertise.
Gillum, the former mayor of Tallahassee, will be one of six Resident Fellows. The group includes former U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock, former U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, President & CEO of the Victory Fund & Institute Aisha Moodie-Mills, former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large Catherine Russell, and former U.S. Department of Justice official Michael Zeldin will serve in this role.
“The IOP Fellows program is central to our mission of inspiring students to public service and active citizenship,” said IOP Director Mark D. Gearan. “We are eager to bring together this extraordinary group of fellows who will provide students with the opportunity to learn from their experiences running for office, building grassroots advocacy campaigns, and making public policy.”
A statement on Gillum’s bio page for the program states: “A champion for everyday people, Andrew Gillum inspired millions across Florida and the nation in 2018. He surged past four better-funded primary candidates to a history-making victory as the Florida Democratic Party's first African-American nominee for governor.”
The Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School was established in 1966 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. The Fellows Program has stood as the cornerstone of the IOP, encouraging student interest in public service and increasing the interaction between the academic and political communities. Through the Fellows Program, the Institute aims to provide students with the opportunity to learn from experienced public servants, the space to engage in civil discourse, and the chance to acquire a more holistic, empathetic, and pragmatic view of our political world.