SC Connecticut News

Yale College senior Axel de Vernou spent his summer in Washington, D.C., thanks to the Millstone Fellowship in Public Service. The fellowship, funded by alumni Jennifer Millstone and David Millstone, supports undergraduates' internships in public service by providing a stipend to help cover expenses such as housing and transportation.

Vernou expressed gratitude for the opportunity provided by the fellowship. "It was extremely gratifying," he said. "I was able to utilize my language and research skills to have a direct impact for policymakers and people working across the federal government."

The fellowship is led by ISPS faculty fellow Christina Kinane, who also serves as an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Yale. She noted her admiration for the students involved: “Each year, I am continually impressed by the dedication and vision of the students who apply to this program and who are selected as Millstone fellows.”

ISPS Director Alan Gerber praised Kinane’s efforts in expanding the program and acknowledged the Millstones' support. “This program allows some of Yale’s most talented undergraduates to learn how much impact they can have by pursuing careers in government or public service,” Gerber said.

Fourteen seniors benefited from this year's fellowship, working across various levels of government. Among them was Caroline Chen, who interned with U.S. Senator Chris Murphy's office; Salvador Gómez-Colón with a federal agency; Cameron Greene at the U.S. Department of Treasury; Casey Lewis with Clark County District Attorney’s Office; Aerin Washington with New Haven’s Economic Development Administration; Thomas Lowe at Inter-American Foundation; Sadie Bograd at New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development; Griffin Richie at U.S. Attorney’s Office focusing on January 6 events cases; Elizabeth Dejanikus at U.S. Department of Defense Office assisting on legislative affairs; Anna Bernstein at D.C.'s Attorney General Office handling civil rights matters; Aya Ochiai designing tidal turbines at National Renewable Energy Lab; William Hin with Orange County Public Defender's Office exploring criminal defense alternatives; Pranav Pattatathunaduvil learning about South Asian geopolitics at U.S. Department of State.

Students interested in learning more about the Millstone Fellowship are invited to attend a panel presentation featuring current fellows sharing their experiences.