Welcome!
To future fellows, alumni, and stakeholders...
From the Substack’s Founder: Our Mission
The longest government shutdown in United States history inspired a small team within the fall 2025 cohort to establish a student-led digital publication.
According to Katie Romano, the executive director of the Archer Center, this platform offers prospective students, alumni, and stakeholders with a meaningful window into the transformative nature of the Fellowship—demonstrating how Archer Fellows engage with the complexity of government, adapt to uncertainty, and grow as leaders. This work aims to exemplify the mission envisioned by Congressman Bill Archer and Co-Founder Don Carlson: to prepare the next generation of leaders through both academic excellence and real-world engagement.
Archer’s Arrows: Articles & Affairs provides a platform for Archer Fellows with a love for writing to highlight their policy interests, personal experiences, and visual storytelling throughout their semester in Washington, D.C.
Who Can Participate?
Don Carlson, the co-founder of the Archer Center, stated that reflections by Archer Fellows should highlight the variety of experiences and lessons gained from their internships, rather than focusing on a single type of role or outcome. Current Archer Fellows should write for the publication, and future Fellows can contact Archer Center staff to declare their interest in joining the team. The purpose of exhibiting student work is for alumni, stakeholders, and applicants to understand the issues and entities in Washington, D.C. Showcasing unique perspectives also introduces nontraditional majors to opportunities they could pursue for their Fellowship. Romano agreed that students in fields such as STEM, business, communication, or the arts often approach policy questions differently than their peers in political science or public affairs.
Furthermore, Archer’s Arrows: Articles & Affairs elevates all writers equally, regardless of political affiliation. Some writers may take definitive positions within their policy interests, and some may publish with the intention of displaying research.
Future Cohorts: Our Message to You
Archer Fellows thrive when they approach their semester in the nation’s capital with enthusiasm, empathy, eagerness, cooperation, and entrepreneurship. Sharpening your knowledge through research, demonstrating leadership in your expertise, and collaborating on a platform run by students facilitates the development of professional skills that students carry with them into their careers. Over time, the publication will collect the work of many Archer Fellows to serve as a digital library for connections with new cohorts and archives for alumni to revisit.
As the Archer Center celebrates its 25th anniversary, this platform stands as a testament to the enduring vision of Congressman Bill Archer and Don Carlson: preparing thoughtful, resilient leaders committed to public service. We hope that one day, you too can join us.
- Megan Wackerman, Founder of Archer’s Arrows: Articles & Affairs