NJLP opens 2023 Fellowship Program for South Asians

New Jersey Leadership Program aims for more South Asian youth participation in government and politics

The New Jersey Leadership Program (NJLP) has opened its 2023 Summer Fellowship Program to introduce New Jersey-based South Asian youth to government and politics. Interested candidates may apply online at www.njlead.org by Feb 28, 2023, NJLP announced in a press release.

The NJLP Summer Fellowship Program is a six-week program in which high school and college students of South Asian background are placed in internships with legislative and other government offices.

Read: New Jersey Leadership Program opens applications for South Asian youth (January 4, 2022)

The Fellowship Program also hosts weekly speakership series with elected officials, senior government staffers, journalists, non-profit leaders, and others, the press release said.

“While we are seeing increasing participation each year from New Jersey’s South Asian community, we remain underrepresented at all levels of government,” said NJLP President Ishan Shah.

“We have to do more and the NJLP Summer Fellowship Program seeks to empower and develop the next generation of South Asian political leaders.”

The NJLP Fellowship Program is entering its eighth year and the New Jersey Leadership Program as a whole has graduated over 70 South Asian youth fellows since its formation, according to the release.

More information about the NJLP Summer Fellowship Program can be found at www.njlead.org.

The New Jersey Leadership Program (NJ Lead) is a non-partisan, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting South Asian American youth participation and education at the local level of government in the State of New Jersey. NJ Lead and its Fellowship Program focus on developing leadership skills, building public policy knowledge, and building the pipeline for South Asian Americans to work in government or pursue public office at the local, state, and federal levels, according to the release.