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Ghazala Hashmi, Vin Gopal awarded bipartisan education fellowship
The bipartisan program brings together senior state leaders from across the country to collaborate on student-focused education policy.
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Malvika Choudhary - Sat, 13, Dec 2025
- 12:28 EST
- 11
Vin Gopal and Ghazala Hashmi / Wikipedia
Virginia Lieutenant Governor-elect Ghazala Hashmi and New Jersey State Senator Vin Gopal have been named to the 12th cohort of the Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows.
The bipartisan program by the Hunt Institute, brings together senior state leaders from across the country to collaborate on student-focused education policy.
Also Read: Senator Srinivasan receives 2025 SPARC Hero award
In a post on X, Hashmi said she was “honored to be part of this year’s Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows program with The Hunt Institute,” adding that she valued the opportunity to learn from leaders such as Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, engage with policy experts, and collaborate with bipartisan education leaders from across the nation.
I am honored to be part of this year's Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows program with @thehuntinstitute. It was wonderful to spend time learning from distinguished leaders like @GovEvers, connecting with policy experts, & collaborating with bipartisan education leaders. pic.twitter.com/D4HSXJfva6
— Senator Hashmi (@SenatorHashmi) December 12, 2025
An educator by training, Hashmi spent nearly three decades teaching at the University of Richmond and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, where she served as the founding director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
Her legislative work has focused on public education, reproductive freedom, voting rights, health care access, housing and environmental justice.
Gopal, a Democrat, represents New Jersey’s 11th Legislative District in the state Senate and currently chairs the Senate Education Committee.
First elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2023, he is the youngest member of the New Jersey Senate and the first South Asian American elected to the chamber. He has sponsored and supported legislation related to education funding, property tax relief, mental health services, public safety and disability services, with dozens of his bills signed into law.
In addition to his legislative roles, Gopal serves as Senate Majority Conference Leader and sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
He is also the founder and president of the Vin Gopal Civic Association, a nonprofit that supports charities and families in need in Monmouth County, and has previously worked as a volunteer EMT and first responder.
The fellowship brings together lawmakers, governors, attorneys general and other senior officials with the stated goal of developing education policies that prioritize students over partisan divisions. Since its inception, the program has trained 292 elected officials, according to The Hunt Institute.
Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who chairs the Institute’s board, said the fellowship creates space for leaders to work together on education solutions that put students first.
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