Governor John G. Winant Fellowship

Paid summer undergraduate internships with nonprofit organizations and government agencies in New Hampshire.
Photo of T-hall at UNH with an overlay of Gov. John G. Winant
   Application Deadlines: April 15, 2024 |  Contact Michele Holt-Shannon with any questions
 

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About the Fellowship

The Winant fellowship program was established at the University of New Hampshire in 1982 in memory of the late New Hampshire Governor John G. Winant to encourage the professional development of undergraduates with a strong commitment to public service.

The fellowship pays a generous stipend for a summer internship with a New Hampshire nonprofit organization or government agency, recognizing exceptional students with an interest in the nonprofit and public sectors and providing valuable work experience in the field of public service.

Fellowship recipients receive a stipend of $5,000 for full-time summer work (300 hours to be completed anytime between mid-May and late-August) with a nonprofit organization or government agency of their choice, and recipients are recognized for their award in university publications.

For the New Hampshire organization or government agency, this fellowship presents a rare opportunity to receive a highly motivated intern at no cost to them.

Learn more about Governor John G. Winant's accomplishments and his memorial at the New Hampshire State Library.

  • dartmouth hitchcock medical center and unh student intern ella dulac in the cardiac wing

    "My summer internship at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center was a deeply enriching experience that solidified my passion for working in cardiac rehab. The hands-on experience of teaching, monitoring, and directly interacting with patients, combined with the clinical ovservations, provided a well-rounded perspective on cardiac care. This experience has not only enhance my skills but also strengthened my commitment to promoting heart health and supporting patients through their recovery journeys."

    ~ Ella Dulac, 2023 Carsey School Winant Fellow

  • Dana Demore, a Winant Fellow who completed her fellowship with Northeast Passage

    "For my final internship, I spent the summer at Northeast Passage (NEP), a therapeutic and adaptive recreation center in Durham, NH. The time I spent at NEP was transformative both personally and professionally, and I am incredibly thankful for the financial assistance that the Winant Fellowship provided to me and my family. I am planning to continue my commitment to public service by serving as an AmeriCorps member. I look forward to helping many more communities in my future career."

    ~ Dana DeMore, 2021 Carsey School Winant Fellow

  • A photo of Sarah Nadeau, a Winant fellow, on the right. and a photo of a bicycle on the left.

    "Through the Winant Fellowship, I completed a summer internship with the Central New Hampshire Bicycle Coalition where I had the opportunity to dive into policy advocacy for local communities. Partnering with local community members and small businesses showed me the power of community organizing to deliver policy change."

    ~ Sarah Nadeau, 2019 Carsey School Winant Fellow & 2020 MPP Graduate

To be considered for a Winant fellowship, the applicant must be a New Hampshire resident and a rising junior, senior, or be planning to graduate by September of this year in good academic standing at the University of New Hampshire.

Students will identify and contact an organization where they would work if they were awarded a fellowship. The organization must be based in New Hampshire.  

We recommend contacting the organization and inquiring if it has the staff available to supervise a summer intern. Meet with the organization to outline what the work would entail, highlighting how this would further the mission of the organization as well as give the fellow valuable experience that would be useful in a future career. There should be no expectation that the student will work if a fellowship is not awarded.

Do I have to be a NH resident? 
Yes.

Does the organization or government agency that I work for have to be in New Hampshire? 
Yes.

What if the organization is based in New Hampshire, but benefits, say, families in Guatemala? 
That would not qualify based on the terms of the fellowship.

I rent an apartment in Portsmouth. Am I a NH resident? 
Not necessarily. We must confirm residency with the registrar's office. Typically the address on your official transcript is your official residence.

I won't be back from my semester abroad until June. Is that a problem? 
No. The 300 hours can be completed anytime during the summer window as long as it is agreed upon with your internship host.

I missed the deadline. Will you still consider my application? 
Unfortunately, we cannot accept any applications that are not complete by the deadline.

When will I hear back about the committee's decision? 
We typically contact all applicants by e-mail about seven to ten days after the deadline, usually the same day that the decisions have been made.

What have past successful applications had in common? 
The work they have set out to do was always well defined and reached beyond just clerical work. The work sought to further both the student's career and the organization's mission.

How Do I Apply?

Applicants must be accepted for service as a summer intern with a public organization or agency in New Hampshire by the application deadline (see Internship Hosts for more details).

Write a one- to two-page proposal with the following materials:

  • Your contact information, including mailing address, email, and student ID#
  • A description in two to three paragraphs of what you hope to accomplish in your summer work
  • Any relevant information regarding your commitment to public service, relevant academic or extracurricular experience, and career goals
  • Provide the name and website of the organization you wish to work for, as well as the name, position title, mailing address, telephone number, and email address of the internship supervisor.
  • Confirm the organization is a 501c3 or government agency.
  • List the names and contact information of two (2) UNH faculty members who can provide an evaluation of your activities at UNH.
  • Enclose an informal or formal copy of your most recent transcript.

Past recipients of the Winant fellowship are discouraged from re-applying.

  Download the 2024 Winant Fellowship Application!

Internship Hosts

Fellows can work with any nonprofit organization (501c3) or government agency based in New Hampshire that assists New Hampshire families and communities defined broadly. Students who would like to apply for a fellowship but haven’t already selected a host may wish to review the links below for some ideas. Organizations that have recently hosted a Winant Fellow are less likely to receive one in the near future.

Recent recipients of Winant Fellowships and their host organizations include:

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  • Kaylah Caires: Hero Pups
  • Adam Huynh: McGregor Memorial EMS
  • Thomas Labore: Makin' It Happen

  • Miriam Arsenault: Northern Human Services
  • Sheila Julian: Department of Veteran Affairs 
  • Sameer Panesar: New Hampshire Oral Health Coalition
  • Madelyn Webb: WISE 

  • Alyssa Carlisle: Coös County Nursing Home
  • Sydney Gillis: New Hampshire Women's Foundation
  • Mary Hammar: UNH Cooperative Extension
  • Katie Parent: YWCA NH
  • Kayla Putnam: Manchester Community Health Center

  • Emily Stone: Manchester VA Medical Center's Homeless Program
  • Stephanie Parent: Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success (ORIS)
  • Stephanie Harding: Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Department of Government Relations
  • Vivian Pham: Dover Children's Home
  • Elsa Lindgren: Goodwin Community Health
  • Keith Johnson: NH Fish and Game
  • David Meehan: YWCA New Hampshire
  • Lauren Banker: NARAL Pro-Choice NH
  • Paul Goodwin: Somersworth Planning Department
  • Elizaveta Minko: Breakthrough Manchester
  • Candace Stohl: Kremels Center
  • Sarah Jamieson: New Hampshire Institute of Agriculture and Forestry
  • Teresa Ware: Families in Transition
  • Emma Duffy-Comparone: Strafford Rivers Conservancy
  • Kaitlyn Ament: Northeast Passage
  • Anna Hayes: NH Department of Corrections

  • Shelly Dionne: Women's Fund of New Hampshire

  • Thea Dickerman: Affordable Housing, Education, and Development (AHEAD)

  • Dominic DeSando: New Hampshire Division for Juvenile Justice

  • Sarah Gormandy: Families First

  • Artists in Residence

  • AIDS Response Seacoast

  • The Chase Home

  • Department of Elderly Services

  • Keene Public Library

  • Manchester Boys' and Girls' Club

  • Nashua Children's Association

  • New Heights

  • New Hampshire Attorney General's Office

  • New Hampshire Bar Association

  • New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence

  • New Hampshire Department of Agriculture

  • New Hampshire Division of Corrections

  • New Hampshire Governor's Office

  • New Hampshire Women's Policy Institute

  • Newmarket Recreation Department

  • Portsmouth District Court

  • Sexual Assault Support Services

  • Somersworth Youth Safe Haven