Yale Students Gain Government Experience Through Millstone Fellowship

Axel de Vernou wants to make a difference.

Now a Yale College senior, he has worked as an open-source exploitation intern in the federal government, a grand strategy and nuclear strategy intern at the Hudson Institute, and a research assistant/intern at various foreign policy organizations, including the Alexander Hamilton Society, the Yorktown Institute, and the Wilson Center.

As he prepared for a new internship this past summer, Vernou struggled to find grants that would support his interest in diplomacy and public service. Few internships in government include pay, and those that do are not as competitive as the private sector.

But thanks to the support of the Millstone Fellowship in Public Service in Yale College, offered through the Institution for Social and Policy Studies (ISPS),  Vernou spent his summer in Washington, D.C., conducting research and monitoring global events for the federal government.

“It was extremely gratifying,” de Vernou 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. I greatly appreciate ISPS and the Millstone Fellowship for giving me the opportunity.”

Yale College alumni Jennifer Millstone ’00 and David Millstone ’99 funded this fellowship to support undergraduates’ summer internships in public service by providing a stipend that can help offset the costs of housing, transportation, and other expenses. Led by ISPS faculty fellow and Assistant Professor of Political Science Christina Kinane, this fellowship not only provides financial support but also offers students the chance to gain practical experience, connect with peers, and build professional networks as they embark on their careers.

Kinane, a leading scholar of the executive branch of the federal government, said she looks forward to working with the fellows and advising them on career choices throughout their senior year.

“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,” Kinane said. “Our fellows are committed to enhancing the public good, striving to strengthen our systems of government, and serve their communities. In a world where Yale graduates have so many paths to choose from, I couldn’t be more proud of how our fellows and network of alumni embody the values of public service and lead with purpose and integrity.”

ISPS Director Alan Gerber, Sterling Professor of Political Science, praised Kinane’s efforts in growing the program and thanked the Millstones for supporting the students’ dedication to service.

“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. “We are tremendously grateful to the Millstones for their vision and generous support.”

Including Vernou, 14 students — all current seniors — benefited from the fellowship this year, working jobs at all levels of government.

Caroline Chen worked in the Washington, D.C. Office of U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, D-Conn. Salvador Gómez-Colón worked for the federal government. Cameron Greene worked for the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Economic Policy. Casey Lewis worked for the Clark County (Nev.) District Attorney’s Office. Aerin Washington worked for New Haven’s Economic Development Administration, advised under the Yale Urban Design Workshop and the Greater Dwight Development Corporation.

Thomas Lowe worked for the Inter-American Foundation, a federal agency that invests in community-led development in Latin America and the Caribbean, serving as a connection to Congress.

“It was an amazing experience,” Lowe said. “It helped me better understand the world of international development, apply what I have learned in the classroom, and imagine what a future doing this work might look like.”

Sadie Bograd spent her summer working at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s Division of Strategic Operations and Analytics. The department runs the city’s affordable housing lotteries, and Bograd helped analyze data to assess the city’s anti-eviction policies.

“It was heartening to see how the city is using data analytics to improve operations,” she said. “There is so much that New York is doing to build and finance affordable housing, create new tax exemptions, and help people who own distressed buildings bring them up to code.”

Bograd said her studies in pursuit of a data science certificate and as an urban studies major at Yale helped prepare her for the job.

“I wanted to get a taste of working in city government,” she said. “But as much as you might study policy and government in class, nothing compares to just diving into that workplace. I’m grateful for this fellowship for the insider’s perspective on what that’s like.”

Griffin Richie’s Millstone-supported internship was at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., primarily working on cases involving the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. He reviewed evidence, analyzed videos from that day, researched legal questions concerning sentencing, observed hearings, and provided support for prosecutors building and trying cases.

“This experience was amazing,” Richie said. “I gained a deep understanding of what it takes to be a prosecutor — inside and outside of the courtroom. I didn’t realize all the effort involved. Coordinating witness, all the strategy involved in a trial, what questions to ask, how to adjust if a witness decides not to testify. You really have to be quick on your feet.”

Like the other fellows, Richie’s internship involved substantive contributions, including a memo he researched and drafted that was used to defeat a defense challenge and make sure sentencing happened in a timely manner.

“A lot of my assignments involved working closely with the attorneys,” Richie said. “My mentor really took me under his wing and let me get involved in the process. It’s always great when you walk away from an internship with more clarity on the future and the excitement of pursuing what could be a great path.”

Elizabeth Dejanikus worked in the U.S. Department of Defense Office (DOD) of the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs. The office serves as the liaison between the DOD and Congress, and Dejanikus assisted on a team communicating on topics such as emerging technology, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals.

Her team’s biggest project of the summer involved helping to write and pass the National Defense Authorization Act for this fiscal year.

“Drafting the NDAA is a massive undertaking, and there was a lot of back and forth between our office and Congress about what to include and what language to change,” Dejanikus said. “I felt like an important part of the greater whole. An email I could send or a meeting I could help orchestrate might influence the bill and affect our country’s defense policy.”

Dejanikus had heard about the program from one of last year’s fellows, Michaela Bauman, who worked in the same department.

“I have no military history in my family,” Dejanikus said. “This summer was a crash course in the culture of the military and how military personnel work side by side with the civilian workforce. I came away from this summer with a new appreciation for what it means to serve my country. Hearing about how many of my coworkers, both military and civilian, have and will continue to serve made me eager to go back to Washington and pursue a career in public service.”

Anna Bernstein worked in the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, conducting legal research and outreach in matters relating to civil rights and elder justice.

“I really didn’t know anything when I started,” Bernstein said. “But I got to sit in on meetings and learn about litigation strategy, how to phrase deposition questions, and more. I learned a lot about public interest law.”

She said the experience has reinforced her intention to apply to law schools.

“I was always interested in housing and education policy,” she said. “This fellowship helped me see how the law can be a tool to advance social justice. The office where I worked is often choosing cases that will have the most impact on policy and create large-scale change across the whole district. And districts can work together to effect national change.”

Aya Ochiai worked at the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Lab, helping design a tidal turbine. These devices generate energy from tides and currents, like wind turbines do in the air. They are used in Europe but not yet in the United States, Ochiai said.

“We are trying to design something that is cheaper and easier to maintain than current designs,” she said, noting that her project involved designing and simulating mechanical systems to lift the rotors and power take-off system above the water and adding structural elements to ensure survivability in harsh underwater conditions. “Doing work offshore and under water is really expensive.”

She recommended the Millstone Fellowship for other STEM students.

William Hin worked in the Office of the Public Defender for Orange County in California.

“It was incredible — I loved it,” Hin said. “I’ve never really considered criminal defense as a career path. This summer confirmed that for me. It would be a very viable option.”

He was assigned to a misdemeanor court and often worked with unhoused and undocumented clients. He served as second chair in two trials and observed six others.

“This experience opened my eyes to alternatives to the carceral system,” he said, citing the intensive recovery programs in lieu of prison available for people addicted to drugs. “A lot of officers told me that prison builds bad habits. And a law student intern told me that she believes people should not be solely defined by the worst thing they’ve ever done. I agree with that.”

Pranav Pattatathunaduvil worked at the U.S. Department of State, on the desk for the Office of Pakistan Affairs.

“I learned so much about the policymaking process,” Pattatathunaduvil said. “Combined with my Indian family heritage and past experience working on issues related to U.S.-India relations, the deep dive into Pakistan enabled me to feel much more well-rounded on South Asian geopolitics.”

He found himself briefing officials who were new to the State Department, discussing topics from India-Pakistan relations to China-Pakistan tech cooperation.

“They gave me a lot of opportunities that I never imagined when I first applied to the internship,” he said. “This was a really valuable experience, and the Millstone Fellowship helped make it happen. I’m already recommending it to other people.”

Students interested in learning more about the Millstone Fellowship are invited to attend a panel presentation with current fellows, sharing their experiences and answering questions. Register to attend.