Our Impact
Since launching, the Hazard Civic Fellowship has grown into a program now entering its seventh year, giving high school and college students hands-on experience inside local government. The program primarily serves Perry County, though it has expanded beyond it — welcoming standout applicants from outside the area, including students who make the daily commute from Pikeville.
By the Numbers
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19 — Civic Fellows since the program's founding (as of summer 2026)
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10+ — Partner organizations, non-profits and city bodies fellows work with
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7th — Year running
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3 — Signature community service events every summer
Building Kentucky's Next Generation of Public Leaders
Fellows don't just observe, they're embedded in the community. They attend meetings across city commission, fiscal court, the chamber of commerce, and other local non-profit organizations, and have taken part in initiatives like the mayor's homelessness coalition and downtown development projects. Importantly, fellows actively participate in business discussions and raise money for their summer projects.
Community Service
Every summer, Hazard Civic Fellows step out from behind the desk and into the community they serve. Fellows work the City Hall picnic shelter for the annual Fourth of July Fish Fry, help run the Queen City Sparkler 5K that kicks off Hazard's Independence Day weekend, and put in time with the Northfork Music Festival right here in Perry County. We do this every single year, because civic work isn't just sitting in on meetings and completing projects, it's showing up, boots on the ground, for the events and people that make Hazard feel like home.