DCAS Announces The Start Of Applications For The 55th Annual Urban Fellows Program

The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) has announced the start of the application period for the 2025-2026 Urban Fellows program. Now celebrating its 55th year, the Urban Fellows program serves as an important connection between youth and municipal work, encouraging civil service and introducing fellows to careers geared towards exploring and tackling urban issues through unique learning seminars and first-hand experience working with public sector leaders. 

At the end of September, multiple city agencies welcomed the latest cohort of fellows, which includes 26 of the brightest and most gifted graduates from 22 private and public colleges and universities including New York's own public colleges within the SUNY and CUNY systems. These 26 fellows will have a primary focus on social services, infrastructure, business, and government administration.

“For decades, the Urban Fellows program has been a key pipeline for bringing talented young people into City service. With the application period for the next cohort now open, I encourage all students interested in serving the City of New York alongside dedicated public servants to apply," said First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer. "Past mayors, agency heads, and senior City officials have gone through the program as fellows, and I am thrilled to know the next batch will be applying to take the baton from this year's 26 Urban Fellows who have brought exceptional talent, drive, and a fresh perspective to our city.” 

"For over 55 years, the Urban Fellows Program has been one of the city's preeminent connections between municipal work and our youth, and we are beyond proud to spearhead this program and offer it for another year,” said DCAS Commissioner Louis A. Molina. “This program exemplifies our commitment to fostering homegrown talent and ensuring that our next generation of public servants are equipped with the tools, connections, and experience they need to make a difference. Through this hands-on work, we're investing in the future of our city, one fellow at a time.”

“Without the Urban Fellows program, I may never have begun my career in public service many years ago in the Bloomberg administration,” said Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice Executive Director Elijah Hutchinson. “Government is hard to understand from the outside, and the Urban Fellows program gives people who are in the early stages of their careers the opportunity to participate in fast-paced, dynamic, public-sector roles that are life-changing and bring more diverse and highly skilled talent to serve New Yorkers. I am excited to see what becomes of these future leaders.”

“The Urban Fellows Program is a brilliant, homegrown leadership accelerator, allowing gifted individuals who are passionate about public service to immediately contribute to the great work of serving New Yorkers," said Small Business Services Commissioner Dynishal Gross. "Year after year, urban fellows increase SBS' capacity to empower local businesses, strengthen the city's workforce, and enhance the vibrancy and resilience of communities across all five boroughs. I'm proud and grateful to collaborate with other agencies on this program once again.” 

“The Urban Fellows program prepares public and nonprofit leaders of tomorrow to drive change through real-world applications of public policy,” said NYC Department for the Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. “We are proud to host two Urban Fellows at NYC Aging, where they have made an impact, brought fresh perspectives and are, now, even stronger advocates for the ever-growing aging sector. This year's cohort has shown their commitment to public service and policy development. I look forward to seeing their progress in the near future.” 

"Connecting young, student leaders to careers in civil service is crucial in addressing job security for immigrant students, empowering CUNY and SUNY graduates to remain civically engaged, diversifying our municipal workforce, and reducing vacancy rates that have impacted delivery of services. The Urban Fellows program compliments the work of the Council's Committee on Civil Service and Labor, tasking our agencies with seeking talent in non-traditional spaces with additional resources to ensure barriers to entry in civil service are reduced or removed. Congratulations to the 55th year's cohort -- we are excited to join your talents with some of the largest city agencies in the country," said Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, Chair of the Committee on Civil Service and Labor.  

The Urban Fellows Program is a selective, nine-month fellowship which combines work in mayoral offices and city agencies with volunteer service opportunities and a seminar series that explores current urban issues impacting public policy. The fellows' work experience is supplemented by the seminar series, a unique learning experience that exposes Fellows to public and private sector leaders. Guest speakers, including senior-level City officials and alumni, share their leadership experiences and their work on City initiatives. 

Candidates may visit the DCAS Urban Fellows page for more information and to submit their application to the Urban Fellows Program. Applications are due by January 13, 2025. 

The fellowship program builds on the Adams Administration's efforts to expand municipal work to more New Yorkers than ever before. In April, Mayor Adams launched "Run This Town,” a $1 million multi-media advertising campaign to engage diverse New Yorkers and help them apply for thousands of available city government jobs. The “Run This Town” campaign was preceded by the launch of "Jobs NYC," a multi-pronged citywide effort to reduce barriers to economic opportunities and deliver workforce development services directly to communities across the five boroughs that are experiencing high unemployment.

In September 2024, the administration announced that as part of Jobs NYC, 8,500 New Yorkers had been connected to jobs and free training resources at 26 hiring halls over six months in neighborhoods with the highest unemployment rate.