Baruch College Graduate Awarded Prestigious New York State Senate Legislative Fellowship

March 24, 2025

Baruch College alumna Catherine Davis (MPA ’24) has taken her public affairs talents from New York City to Albany, where she is currently gaining invaluable knowledge of how the legislative process works in the state capital.

Davis, who graduated from the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs with a concentration in urban development and sustainability, is participating in the New York State Senate Legislative Fellowship. Established in 1965, this Fellowship is a nine-month program with a $50,000 stipend, where graduate and post-graduate students have direct access to state government and the legislative process. Selection for a Senate fellowship is highly competitive and strong “personal and principles are essential for success.”

Davis is serving as a Fellow in the Office of Senator Jamaal T. Bailey, whose district covers neighborhoods in the northeast Bronx and the city of Mount Vernon.

Since September, she has carried out the work typical of a legislative staffer, including conducting policy and legislative research and analysis, as well as meeting with interest groups to hear their requests and concerns.

“The legislature is currently in midst of the budget process, and the pace of work is frenzied but never dull,” Davis said. “Though the workings of New York State government could be described as Byzantine, I now feel I have some grasp of how it all gets done.”

Robust Experience in Government Affairs

Davis’s passion for public service and commitment to making a positive impact has been evident throughout her academic career.

While attending Baruch, Davis was awarded several Fellowships related to government affairs in New York City. In 2022, she was a Community Planning Fellow working with the Fund for the City of New York. During the summer of 2023, Davis served as a Communications Fellow in the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice. From September 2023 to June 2024, she held the role of Government Relations Fellow at the New York City Emergency Management.

During her graduate studies at Marxe, Davis’s research ranged from an analysis of the City’s organics recycling program to a case study of the green infrastructure within a Manhattan neighborhood.

As she looks ahead to her next career move, Davis said the New York State Legislative Fellowship will prepare her to work in government relations, communications, or legislative support.

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