Practice public policy advocacy! Apply to travel to Washington, D.C. for Cornell Doctoral Student Advocacy Day on May 13, 2026.
Travel Dates: May 12 & 13

About the Cornell Doctoral Student Advocacy Day

On May 13, Cornell doctoral students are invited to engage in meetings with elected Members of Congress, Congressional staff, and current policy fellows. These meetings will be organized by representatives from the Cornell Office of Federal Relations. In preparation for Advocacy Day, there will be a virtual training led by representatives from the Cornell Office of Federal Relations to prepare participants for their Advocacy Day activities (date TBA).   Students from any graduate field are eligible to participate in Advocacy Day.

Because we may only select up to eight doctoral students to participate in the Cornell Doctoral Student Advocacy Day, please do not apply unless you can make yourself available to travel to Washington D.C. from the morning of May 12 through the late evening of May 13 and fully participate in the program.

Register now

Prepare to apply

The application form will ask about your undergraduate education, funding sources for your education, who your Congressional representatives are (if not voting eligible, you can use your local address), a synopsis of your research as part of a short bio, what you hope to get out of the experience and how it can inform your career goals.

Sponsorship

Support for participation in the Cornell Doctoral Student Advocacy Day comes from the Graduate School Office of Career and Professional Development and the Cornell Office of Federal Relations. Travel and accommodations will be at no cost to selected participants.

Questions

Should you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact Susi Varvayanis, Executive Director of Careers Beyond Academia at gradcareers@cornell.edu.