Inside the Millstone Fellowship: Yale Students Explore Public Service Pathways

As an intern with the New Haven Federal Public Defender’s Office last summer, Araya Miller embraced the opportunity to interact with clients.

“What I think made the internship most impactful was that I was able to actually speak with our clients one-on-one,” Miller said. “And understand what happened in their lives, their upbringing, the trajectory that led them to the criminal legal system.”

Miller, a Yale College senior majoring in political science, shared her experience as part of The Millstone Fellowship in Public Service. Created through a generous donation from Yale College alumni Jennifer Millstone, ’00, and David Millstone, ’99, the fellowship supports undergraduates’ summer internships in public service by providing a stipend that can help offset the costs of housing, transportation, and other expenses.

Administered by the Institution for Social and Policy Studies (ISPS), the fellowship offers more than money needed for positions that often pay little or nothing at all. It provides a gateway to meaningful careers in public service.

“We have built and continue to grow a vast network of Yale alumni across the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of local, state, and federal government,” said Christina Kinane, faculty fellow at ISPS, assistant professor of political science, and the fellowship’s faculty director. “We are able to call on them to not only assist in securing internships if necessary but to offer advice, mentorship, and a better understanding of the pathways available to enjoy a successful and exciting career at any level of government.”

In addition to interviewing clients at the Public Defender’s Office, Miller wrote narratives about their lives prior to sentencing, conducted social science research, analyzed records, drafted memos, and attended hearings. She spent the second part of her summer working for Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., engaging with constituents, reporting on issues to inform the staff, and attending congressional hearings and other events.

“I really appreciate the Millstone Fellowship for giving me this opportunity, because it gave me so much insight on what I want to do with my future,” she said.

Macy Lerner, a senior studying history, also interned at the Office of the Federal Public Defender in New Haven, often creating social histories for sentencing hearings.

“Many of our clients have experienced intense intergenerational cycles of poverty, trauma, and racial discrimination,” Lerner said. “We want the judges sentencing our clients to understand them as human beings. To understand their broader life stories beyond the narrow confines of their case.”

ISPS Director Alan Gerber, Sterling Professor of Political Science, praised Kinane’s leadership and the students for embracing their opportunities to gain firsthand experience in how government operates at every level and across its branches.

“From courtrooms to capitol buildings these student fellows saw how different institutions work and got to see government from the inside,” Gerber said. “It is so gratifying to hear them describe their impressions about the importance of government decisions and how the people who work in government have the opportunity to serve our society and the power to make a significant positive difference.”

Jake Bernstein, a senior majoring in history, worked with Democratic Alaska State Rep. Carolyn Hall, researching the state’s looming fiscal crisis, meeting with prominent state politicians and businesspeople, and drafting a paper aimed at influencing the 2026 gubernatorial election.

Esha Garg, a senior with a double major in ethics, politics, and economics and computer science, worked with Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont’s federal transition team, serving as a liaison between the governor’s office, the attorney general’s office, and state departments to analyze changes to federal funding.

Among other projects, she helped build a digital tracking tool to streamline communication across offices and contributed to analyses of federal funding changes — including shifts in grant terms and conditions — as well as developments in legislation and litigation affecting funding and state programs.

Tina Huang, a senior majoring in English, worked this summer at the New York City Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS), contributing to the “Neighborhood Stories” oral history project documenting gentrification in Brooklyn, community life, and cultural change across the city’s boroughs and helping to promote the department’s work through social media and public outreach.

“It was great to learn from quite a range of people,” Huang said. “Some who lived in the city in the 60s and 70s, some who moved fairly recently. I developed a clearer sense of how New York’s archival practices inform and shape its contemporary civic life.”

Sophia Ai, a senior studying political science, spent her summer in the criminal division of the Superior Court of California in the County of Santa Clara. She worked closely with a judge on cases involving domestic violence, child sexual abuse, and vehicular manslaughter, while conducting research, drafting a court order, and participating in jury selection.

For others, the summer offered a window into the scale and sophistication of the federal bureaucracy — where policy ambitions meet the realities of implementation.

“Working alongside career civil servants and political appointees, our fellows saw how ideas become programs, data drives decisions, and interagency coordination keeps government running,” Kinane said.

Kyle Thomas Ramos, a B.A./M.A. student studying political science, had his original internship with the U.S. Department of Justice canceled just days before it was set to begin. But with Kinane’s quick intervention, he secured a new placement in the Treasury Department at the IRS.

“I am so grateful for Professor Kinane and the Millstone Fellowship,” Ramos said. “A lot of times, Yale students want to show how we can do everything ourselves. But I ended up with a much better internship because I asked for help.”

Ramos worked directly with the chief of staff for taxpayer services, observing high-level decision making and participating in strategic planning.

“All of these employees essentially report to the chief of staff, so it was awesome just to be in the room,” he said.

Kaj Litch, a senior majoring in global affairs with an intensive certificate in human rights, worked in the U.S.  Department of the Army Office of the Principal Cyber Advisor, focusing on missile defense systems and artificial intelligence policy.

“I came in with limited experience in cyber policymaking, but I quickly got up to speed and felt like my input was really valued,” Litch said. “It was inspiring to work alongside public servants dedicated to protecting national security.”

Beyond the federal agencies, other fellows experienced public service in different corners of Washington, D.C. Immersed in the fast pace of congressional offices, the D.C. courts, and the Attorney General’s Office, they witnessed how laws are argued, interpreted, and implemented.

“Working alongside policymakers, attorneys, and staff, they gained a deeper appreciation for the complexity of government,” Kinane said. “And for the impact that dedicated public servants can make from within its institutions.”