Introducing the Roosevelt In Washington Fellowship Class of 2024
To achieve the future Franklin D. Roosevelt hoped for, one where “government is ourselves and not an alien power over us,” it is critically important to cultivate progressive leaders who can ensure a responsive government. That’s why the Roosevelt Network is proud to announce its 2024 cohort of 15 undergraduate students starting the Roosevelt in Washington (RIW) Fellowship.
The RIW Fellowship offers aspiring progressive students a six-month immersion into the world of progressive policy in the nation’s capital. Designed to engage students during the spring and summer preceding their junior or senior year, this program is far more than just an internship—it’s a comprehensive leadership and professional development experience. Through a combination of career exploration, skill-building workshops, mentorship, and community engagement, RIW provides a pathway for students to learn about all aspects of the progressive policy ecosystem.
“Roosevelt in Washington is more than just a training ground for individual success, it helps build a community of progressive young people united by a common vision. Through weekly seminars, fellows will engage in crucial dialogues, from topics such as emotional intelligence to coalition building. Together, they will explore the ideological pillars of the Roosevelt Institute’s vision, linking FDR’s legacy to current policy issues,” said Robert-Thomas Jones, the training and field manager for the Roosevelt Network.
The 15 undergraduates who make up this year’s class of RIW fellows represent diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and universities. The names of the bright minds starting this program together are:
- Kai Cobbs, Rutgers University–Newark
- Daniel Cronin, CUNY Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College
- Sonali Dade, Wellesley College
- Celeste Dorantes, Vanderbilt University
- Dillon Frost, Tulane University
- Anna Hyslop, University of Oklahoma
- Inica Kotasthane, Barnard College of Columbia University
- Rivka Krause, Yeshiva University, Stern College for Women
- Dorian Lofton, University of Michigan
- Lloxci Lopez, Columbia University
- Rachea McDonald, Bowdoin College
- Michael Regnier, University of Alabama
- Ellie Spangler, Macalester College
- Macy Stacher, University of Pennsylvania
- Willie White, Howard University
“I’m excited to welcome this next cohort of students to the Roosevelt in Washington program! Career pathways in the progressive ecosystem remain hard to find and understand. Roosevelt in Washington helps expose young people to the different kinds of organizations, roles, and types of work that exist—helping them move with intention at the early stages of their careers—as they commit long-term to the fight for an economy and a democracy that work for the many,” said Katie Kirchner, national director of the Roosevelt Network.