California State Senator Patrick Johnston (D-Stockton) has been hired as an academic adviser and part-time instructor to the California Senate Fellows program at Sacramento State.

The program is a joint partnership between the California State Senate and the Center for California Studies at Sac State.

Johnston, who recently received a special master?s degree in political representation from Sac State, was an assemblyman for 10 years before becoming a senator. He then served in the Senate for 10 years, and will end his term in December.

“Johnston has been hired by the university to teach six units in government,” said Tim Hodson, executive director of the Center for California Studies.

These classes are tied to the Fellows program, Hodson explained. The program allows 18 students to work in state government offices. They also attend the seminars that Johnston and three other faculty members teach.

Johnston is replacing Ann Bailey, the current Chief Counsel for the Senate Ethics Committee and an internationally known expert on ethics, Hodson said.

After finishing his degree last spring, Johnston taught in the graduate school at UC Berkeley.

“He was a very good teacher,” Hodson said. “In fact, he was invited back to teach again.” Instead, Johnston decided to come to Sac State to work with the Fellows program.

“The Senate program and the three other capital fellows programs are the highest caliber legislative internship programs in the nation,” Johnston said. “I look forward to adding both theoretical and practical perspectives to the fellows? educational experience.”

The program provides paid internships for college graduates. The students work in the offices of state senators and work with the legislative staff in such areas as analysis writing, bill drafting and public communications.

“A renowned policy maker, an experienced legislator, a teacher of proven accomplishment, Johnston is ideal for the program,” Hodson said.