Patman Scholars show exemplary promise to become civic leaders and receive a scholarship that supports experiential learning opportunities and internships.
The Patman Center builds the next generation of public leaders
The $10,000 Patman Scholarships offer financial support for students seeking internships with elected officials, state legislatures, the U.S. Congress, State Governor’s offices, the Office of the President, and other civic leaders.
We will select Scholars based on their promise as leaders, as revealed in their self-statements, academic performance, and internship proposal.
Check back here for important dates & deadlines
Applications accepted on a rolling basis
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis to make up the 2025 cohort. The first round of applications will be reviewed the first week in December 2024. Please have all materials submitted by December 1, 2024 to be considered then. The second round of reviews will happen in January. Please have all materials submitted no later than January 19, 2025. The third round of review will be in April or May 2025.
Please submit applications once you have received an offer letter from your internship.
Applications close: May 2025
Interviews with finalists on a rolling basis
Scholars’ internships: January 2025 – August 2025
Scholars’ internship reflection paper due: September 2025
Scholars honored at Leadership Symposium: Fall 2025
2025 Patman Scholars
Sarah Batson is an MPAff candidate at the LBJ School graduating in 2025. She is passionate about state and local policy and worked as a graduate policy intern this summer at the Travis County Commissioners Court. Sarah has prior experience in the Texas House and Senate, and is currently a Legislative Aide for State Representative Trey Martinez-Fischer.
Floridell Berry is a Master of Global Policy candidate at the LBJ School of Public Affairs graduating in 2025. She is interested in national security and intelligence with a focus on maritime security in East Asia and the Pacific. She earned her BA in International and Global Studies from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. At LBJ, Floridell is involved in the Alexander Hamilton Society as Director of Operations and is a student worker for LBJ Communications, where she works to plan and execute events. Floridell is interning with the office of State Senator Royce West for the 89thLegislative Session.
Adriel Bustillos is a candidate for the Master of Public Affairs at the LBJ School of Public Affairs graduating in 2026! He is a proud graduate of The University of Texas at Austin in Business Management and Government.
Bustillos currently works as a legislative assistant for Rep. Mary E. González and serves as the Director of Operations for the MASBA-School Board Members for Latino Equity), where he oversees membership relationships, the budget, and sponsorships, and works closely with the Executive Director.
Bustillos is passionate about workforce development, labor, and economic development policy, with a specific interest in comparative regulatory practices in the western hemisphere. At the LBJ School, he is involved in student government, the Latino Policy Research Symposium, and CineActivism. He is also committed to advancing social justice and promoting underrepresented voices in the public sector.
Rebecca Conejo is an MPAff student graduating in 2026 with a background in education and community engagement work. As an undergraduate student at UTSA, Rebecca found a passion for advocacy through founding the UTSA Roadrunner Pantry, interning with MOVE Texas and working with the UTSA SGA. After graduating with a BA in 2017, Rebecca returned to her hometown of Baytown, TX where she worked in primary and secondary education helping students to overcome barriers and succeed in and out of the classroom. Rebecca furthered her advocacy work through volunteering on committees for the United Way of Greater Baytown Area & Chambers County, Goose Creek CISD, and the city of Baytown. Rebecca is currently interning with Texas State Representative Erin Zwiener as a policy analyst.
Originally from Honduras, Anthony Hernandez Escobar is a master’s student in the Global Policy Studies program at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, specializing in Security, Law, and Diplomacy, and set to graduate in May 2025. Anthony earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Spanish from Texas A&M University and is a distinguished Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar, Graduate Dean’s Prestigious Fellowship recipient, and U.S. Department of Education FLAS Fellow through LLILAS Benson. He currently serves as a legislative aide in the Texas Senate with the office of Dean Senator Judith Zaffirini. Post-graduation, Anthony aspires to pursue a career in public service. He is graduating in 2026.
Lela Lerner is a Master of Public Affairs student graduating in 2026 interested in transportation policy and public finance. Originally from Philadelphia, moving to Texas without a car helped her realize the importance of offering choice in transportation, and she aspires to create a system that works for everyone regardless of mode. Outside of LBJ, she serves in advisory roles with local nonprofits Downtown Austin Alliance and Transit Forward – sharing her perspective as a student and transit-user to shape mobility-related strategic goals. Lela has worked in the legislative, lobbying, and legal fields and is currently interning in the office of LBJ alum, Texas State Senator Sarah Eckhardt.
2024 Patman Scholars
Christian Aguirre is a DACA recipient and Master's of Public Affairs candidate at the LBJ School. During his undergraduate studies, he immersed himself in city governance through an internship with Houston's Mayor Sylvester Turner. Before graduate school, Aguirre worked as a policy analyst and communications aide for Texas State Senator Carol Alvarado. Recently, he was appointed by the City Council to Austin’s LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission, where he served as Vice-Chair. Driven by his upbringing as an undocumented immigrant in the US, Aguirre developed a passion for domestic policy, focusing on immigration and higher education. He currently serves as a legislative intern for Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia in the House of Representatives and hopes to aid in advancing the Dream and Promise Act of 2023.
Christy Beauchemin is a Master's of Global Policy Studies student interested in immigration and humanitarian policy. Before coming to LBJ, she lived in Washington D.C. for six years, working in international development nonprofits. She helped manage multi-million-dollar development programs around the world, including in Ukraine, Rwanda, and Liberia. While she misses D.C., she is thrilled to be back in Texas near her family. She is currently interning with Texas State Senator Nathan Johnson as a Legislative Aide. She graduated from Texas A&M University in 2016 with a degree in International Studies and a minor in Arabic. She is graduating in 2026.
Guilleremo Gudino is a dedicated Master's student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, where he channels his passion for public service into a rigorous academic environment. Coming from Dallas, Texas, Guilleremo has always been deeply rooted in his community, drawing inspiration from the diverse and dynamic social landscape of his hometown. His academic journey is driven by a profound commitment to addressing some of the most pressing policy issues of our time, with a keen focus on education, criminal justice, and immigration. Guilleremo's educational pursuits are complemented by his aspiration to become an attorney, a goal that underscores his dedication to justice and advocacy. Guilleremo's blend of passion, academic excellence, and future legal ambitions positions him as a promising force in the realm of public affairs, poised to make significant contributions to the betterment of society. Guilleremo is interning with the Civil Rights Unit in the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.
Lacey Lewis is a candidate for the Master of Global Policy Studies (DC Concentration) at the LBJ School. She majored in Political Science at the University of Oklahoma. While earning her degree, she worked in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for two sessions and then worked as a Government Affairs Specialist for Guinn Strategies, an independent consulting firm. Most recently, she was a Policy Intern for the Office of Management and Budget in the Executive Office of the President. As a Patman Scholar, she will start an internship in September in the Office of Congressman Tony Gonzales.
Leland Murphy is a Master's of Public Affairs student at the LBJ School graduating in 2025. Over the past year, he has been a Youth Organizing Fellow with Americans United for Separation of Church and State and has been involved on campus with Texas Political Consulting, the Queer Policy Coalition, and the Graduate Public Affairs Council. He has previously worked in state government, advocacy non-profits, and on-campus positions including serving as UT Austin’s 22-23 Student Government President. This summer, Leland is living in DC as a Graduate Archer Fellow, interning remotely with State Representative Lulu Flores of Texas House District 51 as a legislative intern.
Aniyah Reed is originally from Northern Virginia and earned a BA in Political Science from Howard University. While continuing her education at the LBJ School, she's taken an interest in human trafficking as a link to organized crime and terrorist organizations. She aspires to help mend gaps in the international community's approach to circumventing human trafficking and victim support. Post graduation, she plans to enter the foreign service as a political officer or work within the UN's political network. Aniyah is interning in Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s office.
Kevin Roberts is a Master's of Public Affairs candidate focusing on national security and state & local government. Kevin has over two years experience working in the state legislature and in Congress. He has also worked with the Travis Country Democratic Party in Austin, leading Student Government and University Democrats on campus. Currently, Kevin works within the Texas House of Representatives for State Representative Venton Jones and is president of Austin Young Democrats. In his spare time Kevin likes to spend time with his family and friends, and to catch up on his favorite TV shows. He is graduating in 2025.
Patman Scholars News
Application Information
Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis
Please apply for the Patman Scholarship once you have received an offer letter from an internship placement.
To apply for the Patman Scholarship, please email LBJPatmanCenter@austin.utexas.edu all of the following:
Please include in your email message body:
- Name
- UT EID
- Phone
- Program (MPAff, MGPS etc.)
- Transcript Consent
Please attach the following to your email (see more information below):
- Personal and Internship Statement
- Mentorship Statement
- Financial Statement
- Resume
- Offer letter from your internship placement
Letter of Recommendations
All letters should be emailed from their author directly to The Patman Center at LBJPatmanCenter@austin.utexas.edu. Letters sent in by students will not be accepted.
Transcript Consent
Do you consent to OSAA releasing your academic information to the Patman Center? Please include in email message body either:
- (Yes) I consent to OSAA releasing my academic information. With consent, we will work with OSAA to get your transcript.
- (No) I do not consent to OSAA releasing my academic information.
Personal and Internship Statement
Applicants should submit a 1-2 page statement answering the following questions:
What has motivated you to pursue a career in public service and/or civic leadership?
What type of internship will you pursue? In what ways do you expect to grow from the experience?
Mentorship Statement
Each Patman Scholar will be paired with a Senior Fellow who will serve as a mentor. Applicants should submit a 1-2 paragraph statement answering the following questions:
What sort of mentor would you be looking for? Who would be an ideal mentor for you?
(Please do not ask for specific mentors. We are looking for a general idea of who might be a good match).
Letter of Recommendation
Applicants should identify a former employer or academic professor to submit a 1-2 page statement of support indicating in what ways the applicant is ready for the internship opportunity and professionally prepared to use the internship to its fullest potential.
Please ask them to address your potential as a leader and the particular leadership qualities that set you apart from other applicants.
Financial Need Statement
Applicants should offer a 1-2 paragraph overview of how this financial award will support you.
Would you be able to participate in your internship without financial support? If so, why or why not.
Resume
Applicants should submit an overview of their past professional experiences, including any relevant volunteerism or civic service.
Offer Letter
Students should submit an offer letter from their internship along with their application.
Selection Committee
A combination of The Patman Center Advisory Board Members, LBJ faculty/staff, and members from UT Law School community will make the selections of the Scholars.