UWF student receives prestigious Florida Gubernatorial Fellowship

Trista Bennett, a double major in biology and health sciences at the University of West Florida, has been awarded a Florida Gubernatorial Fellowship for the 2026-27 academic year. This prestigious and highly competitive fellowship accepts between seven to 12 students each year out of applications across the entire state of Florida, allowing the small cohort to work directly with state departments and agencies in Florida.

As a member of the fellowship, Bennett, Kugelman Honors student and former Student Government Association president, will spend her senior year in Tallahassee, learning in a fast-paced environment tailored towards public policy, leadership and advocacy. Her main responsibilities will include weekly meetings with Florida government leaders, policy writing and research, and non-profit work. Throughout the year, her cohort will go on three fully-funded trips to St. Augustine, the Kennedy Space Center and Washington, D.C.

"This fellowship is an opportunity for me to pursue my passion of advocacy and leadership," Bennett said. "It means a chance to chase my dreams and provide me with invaluable experiences. I could not be more grateful to UWF for supporting me through my application and interview process for this program."

After graduation, Bennett plans on attending law school. With her unique experience of working within state government through the Gubernatorial Fellowship, Bennett feels confident and excited about the future.

"This fellowship will allow me to have the necessary experience to pursue my future career goals," Bennett said. "By being a part of this incredible program, I will have received hands-on state government training that is invaluable when applying to law school."

Bennett's application process was supported by UWF's John W. Merting Family Office of National Fellowships, which provides students with guidance, mentorship and resources to pursue prestigious national and international awards.

"The Florida Gubernatorial Fellows Program is one of the many fantastic opportunities that are supported through the John W. Merting Family Office of National Fellowships," said Claire Holderman, coordinator of the John W. Merting Family Office of National Fellowships. "Prestigious awards like these set students apart from their peers as well as provide financial support."

A representative of the Florida Gubernatorial Fellows Program will be coming to UWF's John C. Pace Library Multipurpose Space on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at noon, to discuss the program and take questions about the application.

To apply for a fellowship or learn more about UWF's John W. Merting Family Office of National Fellowships, visit uwf.edu/onf.