Newsom beefs up training for achievers who go on to become judges, state officials and law makers, who the Capital City’s rents are hammering

By Veronica Catlin and Eloisa Dominguez-Olea

Katie Oleynichenko is a Sacramento State student who relies on a part-time job as a tutor and financial aid to make ends meet for her and her family. 

At first, applying for a prestigious fellowship didn’t seem financially realistic. However, since doing so, a substantial increase in pay for the Capital Fellows program could be on the horizon, meaning more possibilities will start opening up for her.

“I come from a family who didn’t have much,” Oleynichenko notes, “if accepted, I’d be grateful for any pay they give us.”

The Capital Fellows program has been around since 1973 and is one of the oldest and most distinguished service-learning programs in the U.S. It’s a nationally recognized public policy fellowship that offers students hands-on experience in policy making and development in each branch of California’s state government. 

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget would put another $1.3 million into Sacramento State’s General Fund to support a student salary increase from $3,253 to $4,888 monthly for the Capital Fellows. 

“It was sort of just looking at how housing prices are in Sacramento and how hard it is for a lot of people to move to Sacramento from other parts of the state to start their public policy career,” says Capital Fellows Executive Director, Leonor Ehling. “The current salary equates to a little less than $20 an hour so it’s really not competitive with fast food jobs and things like that.”  

Ehling adds that the program requested an increase from Newsom’s office and the proposal was approved on Jan. 10. Now, the Capital Fellows await approval from the state legislature, which could come by June. 

With an increase in monthly pay, program directors hope to broaden the application pool for the fellowship. 

“We are absolutely committed to ensuring that more diverse communities and underrepresented groups are able to participate in this program,” Ehling explains. “We want to bring people into state government who represent all walks of life.” 

Students who become fellows are employed through the CSU’s Center for California Studies. Seventy-two of the 127 current fellows are from Sacramento State. Students who complete the program have gone on to become superior court judges, land roles in California legislation, help create public policy, and be a part of other governmental agencies within the state. 

Gavin Iribarren, a current Capital Fellow, describes a typical day of a fellow as beginning at 9 a.m. sharp in the office, checking emails and coordinating tasks with their legislative director and colleagues. Fellows handle calls from constituents, lobbyists, and other offices while also attending meetings with representatives from companies like Airbnb and Amazon.

“I’m the lowest on the totem pole, so I don’t really get to decide too much of what’s happening that day,” Iribarren observes. “But they say we’re going to be discussing these bills today, or I’m going to need you to do some research on this bill, or make a fact sheet.”

Irribean thinks the strong writing skills among fellows are important as they frequently draft bills and summarize legislative information that has the potential to shape state law.

While working as a fellow, students are prohibited from taking other jobs. That can be challenging for students who aren’t financially well off. 

“When you do it, you get 12 units from it – so that counts as a full semester, right?” notes alumna Alison Kostusak. “But you know, you’re in an office, usually nine to five, and you have to hit a minimum hour requirement to complete the internship, so it basically takes the place of your classes, but also makes it kind of hard to work.

According to Payscale.com, the cost of living in Sacramento is 25% higher than the national average. Sacramentans pay more for rent, which averages between $1,800 and $2,500 a month, in addition to higher transportation, utilities, health care, and grocery costs. The average monthly income in the city is $5,580 per individual.

An increase in monthly pay for fellows would lighten the financial burden of living in such a costly area.

“I think they finally realized students from Sacramento need to live somewhere too, and it ain’t cheap,” says Iribarren. “This takes up a lot of your time and your working time, so those who would have had jobs otherwise now are doing this and also have no money. So they kind of realize the inequity there, and now we all have access.”

Iribarren points out that many Capital Fellows struggle to cover basic living expenses, as the program requires Fellows to work full-time while also attending a mandatory Thursday night course, leaving many Fellows unable to take on additional jobs to support themselves through college.

“They don’t know people like me,” Iribarren reflects. “I think this is an amazing opportunity. This is my chance.”

The Capital Fellows program also has a reputation for being a great education and networking opportunity. For Oleynichenko, being able to afford the experience is top of mind. She’s a child development major who took up deaf studies as a minor and recently applied for the Capital Fellows Program. Oleynichenko has hopes of making an impact in education through legislation.

“My dad doesn’t work because he’s on disability and my mom doesn’t make a lot as a caregiver,” she acknowledges. “More pay from the fellows program would help me and also help them.”