Fifteen Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (SFS) students won the 2026 Paul F. Pelosi Scholars Initiative, an annual scholarship which seeks to prepare sophomores and juniors for careers in public service, the university announced Nov. 26.
The initiative aims to reduce financial burdens and provide professional opportunities in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), policy think tanks and federal and local governments to Georgetown students. Throughout the spring semester, Pelosi Scholars will attend weekly classes that include formal networking sessions and career skill development and will receive an invitation to meet with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband, Paul Pelosi.
SFS Dean Joel Hellman said the program attracts students because it provides scholars access to private coaching, networking and curated opportunities to help students secure public service internships over the summer.
“What students are looking for when they join is support to help them navigate the complex world of finding great public service internships,” Hellman said in a video about the program. “Second, they’re getting financial support to bring public sector internships on the same plane as private sector internships.”
Pelosi Scholars receive varying financial support, determined by the pay provided by each student’s internship. Scholars with unpaid, full-time summer internships receive a stipend of at least $1,000 through the program, while those with paid or part-time opportunities receive prorated funding.
Alexandra Hamilton (SFS ’28), a 2026 Pelosi Scholar who is looking for opportunities to work in foreign policy for her internship, said the scholarship’s financial compensation for unpaid opportunities was particularly appealing to her.
“As someone who relies on my on-campus job, taking unpaid internships is a financial concern of mine,” Hamilton told The Hoya. “Getting a stipend to pursue an internship in a field that is normally unpaid is incredibly helpful and gives me a great piece of mind.”
Scholars said they were also attracted to the community aspect of the program, where scholars help each other get internships and are mentored by members of the previous cohort.
Jeremy Suzuki (SFS ’28), another 2026 Pelosi Scholar who plans to focus on humanitarian work with non-governmental organizations over the summer, said the mentorship scholars receive from previous cohorts was one of the reasons he applied.
“I was inspired by many of my mentors who, as past Pelosi Scholars, grew in their leadership and careers in public service,” Suzuki told The Hoya. “I wanted to follow in the footsteps of these role models, pursuing my passion to serve people outside the private sector.”
Benjamin Leong (SFS ’27), a 2026 Pelosi Scholar who is also hoping to intern in the humanitarian sector this summer, said the chance to work with experienced professionals is exciting.
“Given the political turbulence associated with the public sector and public-adjacent work, learning through others’ lived experience through networking and meeting career professionals who have weathered these storms will be essential to my career development,” Leong told The Hoya.
Hamilton said the flexibility the program provides to students within the field of public service is another benefit of the program that excites her.
“I am really grateful to the Pelosi program because it allows students to experience a variety of avenues within public service,” Hamilton said. “I think sometimes people tend to assume public service is just politics or federal government roles, but public service encompasses so many people and roles, and I appreciate how this program allows students to find what exactly they are interested in, instead of forcing people down a specific path.”
Suzuki said he sees the initiative as a way to uphold Georgetown’s Jesuit values through his upcoming work in the public sector.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to live out my values of service as a Christian and a Hoya for others,” Suzuki said. “All my life’s passion for leading change in this world feels like it has led me to this moment, and I can’t be more grateful.”
