Career tracks

Find your direction.

In Year Two, every Opus Fellow selects a track. Three paths. All consequential. All oriented toward public service.

Three paths into public service.

Career tracks are selected in Year Two of the fellowship. Each track shapes a fellow's mentorship, deliverables, and professional connections. Additional tracks may be added as the fellowship grows.

01

Law & Justice

Law as public service. For students drawn to careers at the intersection of law, justice, and civic life.

Law as public service. This track prepares fellows for careers at the intersection of law and justice — public defense, civil rights advocacy, federal prosecution, and policy litigation. Fellows develop legal writing skills and build a foundation for law school and beyond.

Skills developed
  • Legal writing and argumentation
  • Public interest law landscape overview
  • Law school application strategy and timeline
  • Policy litigation and advocacy methods
  • Case analysis and evidence-based reasoning
Career destinations
  • Public defender offices
  • Civil rights organizations (ACLU, NAACP LDF)
  • Federal prosecution and DOJ
  • Policy litigation firms
  • Government legal offices
Public defense Civil rights law Federal prosecution DOJ ACLU Policy litigation Law school
02

Government & Policy

For students drawn to how government actually works — and who want to be inside it.

For students drawn to how government actually works. This track prepares fellows for careers in congressional offices, federal agencies, think tanks, and nonpartisan roles — with emphasis on policy analysis, professional writing, and understanding the D.C. career landscape before junior year.

Skills developed
  • Policy memo and briefing document writing
  • Congressional and legislative process fluency
  • Federal agency structure and function
  • Nonpartisan research and analysis
  • Internship application strategy for Hill and agencies
Career destinations
  • Congressional staffing and Hill offices
  • Federal agencies (GAO, OMB, CBO)
  • Think tanks and policy institutes
  • State and local government
  • Nonprofit policy and advocacy
Congressional staffing Federal agencies GAO Think tanks Policy analysis OMB CBO
03

International Affairs

For students drawn to America's role in the world — and who want to help shape it.

For students drawn to America's role in the world. This track prepares fellows for careers in diplomacy, national security, and international development — with emphasis on foreign policy analysis, area knowledge, and competitive fellowship preparation for programs like Rangel and Pickering.

Skills developed
  • Foreign policy analysis and geopolitical research
  • Briefing memo and intelligence summary writing
  • Area studies and language strategy
  • Rangel, Pickering, and Boren fellowship preparation
  • Foreign Service application coaching
Career destinations
  • U.S. Foreign Service
  • State Department and embassies
  • National security agencies
  • International development organizations
  • International NGOs and think tanks
Foreign Service State Department National security Int'l development Rangel Fellowship Pickering Fellowship Diplomacy

Your track starts with your application.

Track selection happens in Year Two — so don't worry about having everything figured out when you apply. Apply with curiosity. We'll help you find your direction.

Apply for Fall 2026