UMass Poll Undergraduate Fellow Program
The UMass Poll Fellows Program offers undergraduate students a unique opportunity to dive into the evolving field of public opinion polling and data analysis, equipping them with valuable skills that open doors to diverse career paths in the private, public, or academic sectors.
Since 2023, the program has provided junior and senior undergraduate students with hands-on experience in analyzing public opinion data. Fellows gain experience designing poll questions; analyzing survey data; writing research reports; and giving professional presentations. Fellows even have the chance to co-author peer-reviewed academic publications with faculty members!
About the UMassPoll
The University of Massachusetts Amherst Poll (UMass Poll) combines cutting-edge online polling with academic and professional expertise in the science of politics. The result is accurate, affordable, innovative, and timely polling data that provides insights into the civic health, vitality, and public opinion of citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the nation.
The UMass Poll is led by a team of nationally-renowned experts of survey research methods, American public opinion, race, ethnicity, and immigration, parties, partisanship and polarization, and public policymaking. This expertise enables the Poll to provide accurate snapshots of citizens’ attitudes, beliefs, and vote intentions to better understand future trends, both in Massachusetts and the nation.
UMass Poll results have been featured in prominent state and national media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WCVB, The Boston Globe, Politico, CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC.
Student testimonials
Bel Corder: Being able to present at the annual conference for the American Political Science Association was an amazing experience. Presenting the papers that we have been analyzing, writing, and coding for an extended period of time was extremely rewarding to the effort that we put into our work. It was a source of pride and great help for the future of these projects!
Graham Backman: Going to APSA allowed for my friends/co-authors/Poll Fellows and I to have a transformative experience in our academic and professional lives as well as increased skill development for life after college. We were directly involved in all steps of the paper writing and the scientific process. From understanding the theory necessary to the drafting of survey questions, writing code to analyze our data, writing the paper, and preparing a presentation to give at the conference.
Bel interned for Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance. Graham previously interned with the Small Planet Institute.
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO/Fund | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Student Alumni Association | 128 |
| 2 | $1,000 | UMass Women into Leadership | 112 |
| 3 | $500 | Dept. of Food Science | 90 |
| 4 | $500 | Golf Club | 53 |
| 5 | $500 | iCons | 40 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO/Fund | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Women's Club Ice Hockey | 180 |
| 2 | $1,000 | Women's Rugby | 95 |
| 3 | $500 | Department of Polymer Science and Engineering. | 71 |
| 4 | $500 | UWW Completion Fund | 57 |
| 5 | $500 | PRSSA | 51 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO/Fund | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Men's Rugby | 175 |
| 2 | $1,000 | Field Hockey | 102 |
| 3 | $500 | Women's Lacrosse | 96 |
| 4 | $500 | New2 U | 78 |
| 5 | $500 | Baseball | 54 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO/Fund | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Women's Ultimate Frisbee | 153 |
| 2 | $1,000 | Club Water Polo | 131 |
| 3 | $500 | S#arp Attitude | 117 |
| 4 | $500 | Doo Wop Shop | 98 |
| 5 | $500 | Choral Dilemma | 70 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO/Fund | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Stonewall Center | 196 |
| 2 | $1,000 | Club Swim | 127 |
| 3 | $500 | Minutemen Racing | 97 |
| 4 | $500 | Comparative Literature Program | 56 |
| 5 | $500 | Film Studies Program | 50 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO/Fund | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Minuteman Marching | 193 |
| 2 | $1,000 | Women's Rowing | 106 |
| 3 | $500 | Center for Women and Community | 78 |
| 4 | $500 | WMUA | 63 |
| 5 | $500 | Board of Student Businesses | 61 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO/Fund | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Men's Club Rowing | 268 |
| 2 | $1,000 | The Massachusetts Daily Collegian | 189 |
| 3 | $500 | CLACLS | 62 |
| 4 | $500 | Men's Club Volleyball | 48 |
| 5 | $500 | Fencing Club | 39 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO/Fund | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Duly Noted | 259 |
| 2 | $1,000 | UMass EMS | 118 |
| 3 | $500 | Vietnamese Student Association | 109 |
| 4 | $500 | Mock Trial Team | 96 |
| 5 | $500 | InterVarsity Christian Fellowship | 90 |
