Willie L. Brown, Jr. Fellowship Program

The Willie L. Brown, Jr. Fellowship Program places San Francisco State University students in prestigious internships within various City and County of San Francisco agencies. The fellowship, launched in 2008, provides SF State students who have faced barriers pursuing a college education with an opportunity to gain professional experience in the public sector while developing a lifelong commitment to public service. 

At the same time, the program provides San Francisco’s public agencies with a diverse, qualified and well-educated workforce. The fellowship is now housed in the Institute for Civic and Community Engagement (ICCE). 

WBF Group Photo
Meet Our Willie L. Brown, Jr. Fellows
WB Alumn Larry Berry
WB Alumni Spotlight
“As Mayor of San Francisco, I saw firsthand how the dedicated professionalism of outstanding public servants ensures that the residents of San Francisco receive critical services. Recognizing the need for a well-educated, diverse, committed, and prepared workforce inspired me to create the Willie L. Brown, Jr. Fellowship Program at my alma mater, San Francisco State University, in 2008."

“San Francisco State’s mission is to graduate students to serve our city, and the university’s unwavering commitment to social justice and civic engagement aligns perfectly with my vision of recruiting and including students of diverse racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds. These students, like so many of SF State’s graduates, will become the city’s next teachers, social workers, nurses, planners, policy analysts, and public officials.

“My hope is that the Willie L. Brown, Jr. Fellowship will inspire and prepare SF State students from all majors to pursue a career in public service. Local and regional governments need the innovators, thinkers, entrepreneurs, and well-trained workers that SF State graduates.” --Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr.
WBF Group Photo 2

Applications for the Willie L. Brown, Jr. Graduate Fellowship open the first day of the fall semester. Please check back in fall 2026 for an updated application link. 

 

Applications for the Willie L. Brown, Jr. Undergraduate Fellowship open the first day of the spring and fall semester. To apply to be a Willie L. Brown, Jr. Fellow for the fall 2026 semester, follow this link: 

Apply now!

The Willie L. Brown, Jr. Fellowship supports SF State students who are interested in careers in public service and who have faced barriers in accessing higher education. Fellows are placed in San Francisco city and county agencies where they work on projects that align with their studies, skills, and interests, while also meeting the needs of their host departments.

Fellows receive a stipend, take part in a professional development seminar, and join a cohort of peers and mentors committed to equity, public service, and social change.

Eligibility Requirements for the WB Fellowship Program for Undergraduates

To become a Willie L. Brown, Jr. Undergraduate Fellow for Fall 2026 you must:

  • Be enrolled at SF State full-time
  • Have completed 60 units at the time of application submission
  • Be a student in good standing (minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA)
  • Have an interest in a career in public service
  • Have faced hardships in pursuing a college degree (i.e. financial hardship, single parent, formally incarcerated, first generation student, homelessness, veteran status)
  • Be available to intern 16 hours/week for 15 weeks during the semester at a city agency
  • Be available to attend the 3-unit seminar on Fridays morning between 9:30am--12:30 pm in Fall 2026.

Get Support for Your Application

Attend one of our information sessions facilitated by Fellowship staff which provide a general overview of the program and application. Fellowship alumni are usually in attendance for our information sessions to provide their experiences and answers your questions from a student perspective.

 

The application for Fall 2026 will open in Spring 2026. Prospective students can find and apply for the fellowship on Academicworks to be a part of the Fall 2026 cohort. 

If you have any questions on this please email Monica Barboza at wbfellows@sfsu.edu

Office Hours are: T/W 12pm-1pm in HSS 206 or by appointment

Eligibility Requirements for Graduate Students in Calendar Years 2027-2028 

To become a Willie L. Brown, Jr. Graduate Fellow for calendar years 2027-2028, you must:

  • Be admitted to and enroll in the Master’s in Public Administration program
  • Have completed no more than 18 units towards degree before the first semester of the fellowship
  • Enroll in at least 6 units per semester for the full two years of the fellowship
  • Be available to intern 20 hours/week throughout the 2027 calendar year at a city agency*
  • Have the following minimum GPA: Undergrad Cumulative or SF State GPA: 3.0; Grad Cumulative or SF State GPA: 3.0

How to Apply for Calendar Years 2027-2028

Applicants are required to log into AcademicWorks to fill out the application and provide support documents required through the AcademicWorks site. 

Supporting documents include:

  • College transcripts combined into one document
  • Current resume
  • A personal statement of 1,000 to 1,500 words. The statement should be a coherent essay that describes: (1) your academic and career goals, including fields of interest, (2) any hardships you have faced in life and how they have shaped your academic and career goals, (3) your background and/or interest in working in the public sector, (4) your strengths and skills and (5) how participating in the Willie L. Brown, Jr. Fellowship Program will help you attain your goals.

Get Support for Your Application 

Attend one of our information sessions facilitated by Fellowship staff which provides a general overview of the program and application. Fellowship alumni are usually in attendance for our information sessions to provide their experiences and answers your questions from a student perspective.

Stop by for office hours in HSS 206 Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12pm-1pm or by appointment. To schedule an appointment, email wbfellows@sfsu.edu

Do you have questions about the details of the fellowship? Need help proofreading your personal essay? Want to learn more about what it is like to intern in the public sector? Stop by office hours twice a week! 

Program Director Office Hours (in-person): HSS 206 Tuesdays and Wednesdays 12 p.m. – 1 p.m or by appointment. To schedule an appointment, email wbfellows@sfsu.edu or call 415-338-3280
 

Upcoming WB Undergraduate Info Session Dates: 


Upcoming WB Graduate Info Session Dates:

  • Info sessions to be held in Fall 2026

Past Undergraduate Placement Sites 

  • Board of Supervisors
  • Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families
  • Department of Emergency Management
  • Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing
  • Department of Public Health
  • Department of Technology
  • Human Rights Commission
  • Office of the City Administrator
  • Office of Economic & Workforce Development
  • Office of Transgender Initiatives
  • San Francisco Public Defender
  • San Francisco Human Services Agency
  • San Francisco Recreation & Parks
  • SF Environment
  • SF Planning
  • And many more!

Past Graduate Placement Sites 

  • San Francisco Board of Supervisor's Office, District 10
  • San Francisco Grants for the Arts
  • San Francisco Department of Emergency Management
  • San Francisco Department of Human Resources
  • San Francisco Human Services Agency
  • San Francisco Office of the Controller
    • Office of the Controller, Systems Division
    • Office of the Controller, City Services Auditor
    • Office of the Controller, Office of Public Finance
  • Port of San Francisco