The Yale Millstone Fellowship Helps Students Turn Public Service Values Into Careers
Toby Neal grew up in a rural North Carolina town of about 2,000 people, transferring to Yale from community college.
Driven towards public service, Neal expected he might work in Washington, D.C. But after an internship in Raleigh, N.C., last summer, he realized he belonged back home.
“Doing something that will impact someone’s life in North Carolina for the better — that was such a great motivator for me,” Neal said. “I really care about my state. I realized this was where I need to be.”
Now a junior at Yale, Neal will work this summer as an intern in the North Carolina Lt. Governor’s Office, thanks in part to the support of the Millstone Fellowship in Public Service in Yale College, offered through the Institution for Social and Policy Studies (ISPS).
Created through a generous gift from Yale College alumni Jennifer Millstone ’00 and David Millstone ’99, the fellowship provides undergraduate students with the resources to pay for housing, transportation, and other expenses while gaining valuable experience and building a network of peers and professional contacts in pursuit of careers in public service.
Following graduation, Neal plans to attend law school and pursue a career in North Carolina state government, continuing his focus on policy, access, and public impact.
“Often these internships do not pay,” Neal said. “Or if they pay, it’s not a lot. And it’s expensive to live in Raleigh. I’m grateful for the Millstone funding. Without it, I would not have this opportunity, which will hopefully set me up for my career.”
This year’s 15 Millstone fellows will work this summer in federal, state, and local government. Under Christina Kinane, the program’s faculty director and an ISPS fellow and assistant professor of political science, the fellowship not only provides financial support but organizes speaker events and roundtables for fellows to learn from the experiences of Yale alumni serving throughout government.
“We saw a much bigger application pool this year, which I see as a testament to the whisper networks on campus,” Kinane said. “Students have heard about the Millstone Fellowship and are excited about it because they know the support here is real.”
Kinane expressed admiration for how proactive this cohort has been, with students aggressively pursuing opportunities, building connections, and, in some cases, securing multiple internships or even job offers tied directly to their fellowship-supported work. She took pride in how their ambitions span local, state, federal, and international public service, reflecting the program’s intentional design to expose students to the full ecosystem of government.
“These are impressive students,” Kinane said. “They’re accomplished already, they’re just getting started, and they’re incredibly tenacious. They want to do good in the world. And they understand that even small actions in public service can create real, permanent change.”
Chloe Abbruzzese’s interest in international security sparked following a fall course on the geopolitics of the war in Ukraine and a trip to Washington, D.C., in October organized by the Jackson School of Global Affairs. With support from the Millstone Fellowship, Abbruzzese will work this summer as an intern for the U.S. Department of Defense, Headquarters United States European Command.
“Before this class and trip, I hadn’t really considered a career in public service,” Abbruzzese said. “I felt like I had a very narrow view of what that could be.”
While clear-eyed about the inevitability of conflict in government work, she sees value in participating in the process and building stronger international relationships.
“My optimism lies in some of the smaller projects and issues that are less controversial and still really important,” Abbruzzese said. “And staying out of government is not a way to make progress.”
Lucas Ranfranz traces his interest in government service back to childhood, shaped in part by his mother’s experience growing up in communist Poland. That background instilled a belief in public institutions and a desire to contribute meaningfully through government work.
Beyond financial support, he was drawn to the fellowship’s mentorship component—particularly the opportunity to work with Professor Kinane, whom he deeply admired during his first semester at Yale.
Ranfranz will continue an internship roll in the federal government he started as a rising junior working in Dallas. This summer, he will work in Washington, D.C., and possibly attend law school after graduation with the intention to begin his career in public service.
“It’s truly, the most satisfying work I’ve ever done in my life,” Ranfranz said. “I feel like I’m actually making good changes for society.”
Alessandra Pappalardi will spend the summer working with the New Haven Democracy Fund, part of the mayor’s office. The fund supports campaign matching and voter participation as New Haven transitions to four-year election cycles — raising the stakes of local elections.
“My job is to go around New Haven and inform people that this exists — that people can run, challenge incumbents, and be part of their local democracy,” Pappalardi said.
Coming from a low-income background, Pappalardi credits her mother with instilling the value of service, particularly voluntary. She views public service as cyclical: investing time and energy into shared institutions strengthens the structures that, in turn, support communities.
“You can’t have good volunteer structures or championed distributive systems without strong electoral foundations,” Alessandra said, stressing the interconnectedness of local democracy, civic participation, and generosity.
Funding from the fellowship will pay for her housing over the summer.
“The Millstone Fellowship is amazing,” she said. “It makes it possible for me, a first-generation, low-income student on a QuestBridge scholarship, to stay here over the summer and pursue work that I’m really excited about.”
Meet this year’s class of Millstone fellows:
Chloe Abbruzzese
College: Davenport College
Major: Global Affairs with an Advanced Language Certificate in German
Internship: U.S. Department of Defense, Headquarters United States European Command (USEUCOM)
Experience: Chloe studied abroad in Austria, where she developed an interest in European security and the intersection of German studies and European politics. She serves as an officer for the Yale Alexander Hamilton Society, organizing discussions with foreign policy practitioners, and has spent her past two summers supporting international education and youth programming at Yale.
Activities: Chloe serves as president of YaleDancers, where she choreographs and performs, and as executive director of the Alliance for Dance at Yale, organizing studio and performance space for Yale’s 20+ undergraduate dance groups across campus. She is also a Study Abroad Outreach Coordinator and works as an academic mentor for K-12 students across a range of projects.
Ben Card
College: Davenport
Major: History and Political Science
Internship: Connecticut Public Defender, Bridgeport and New Britain Districts
Experience: Ben has worked at the state level in the Constituent Services Office of Governor Ned Lamont and the Connecticut Office of Policy Management, where he drafted resource guides for Neighborhood Revitalization Zone Committees. He has also worked in the Development Department of LEAP, a New Haven-based education nonprofit, as part of the Yale President’s Public Service Fellowship.
Activities: Ben serves as the employment director of Link New Haven, an organization that connects at-risk individuals in New Haven with social services. He also plays piano and club baseball in his spare time.
Gema Covarruvias
College: Grace Hopper
Major: Political Science and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Internship: U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
Experience: Gema served as a school-year mitigation intern at the Connecticut Public Defender’s Office. She is also an undergraduate research assistant to Professor Andrea Aldrich, whose research focuses on political representation, gender, and comparative political institutions. In addition, she has been an organizing intern at the Massachusetts Immigration and Refugee Advocacy coalition and at Planned parenthood of Southern New England.
Activities: Gema is a member of Yale’s Ballet Folklórico group. She has also served as co-moderator of Mecha de Yale, a Latino student activist organization and YaleBleeds, a student organization dedicated to menstrual equity.
Sascha Hume
College: Davenport
Major: Mathematics and Philosophy
Internship: The Council of Economic Advisors
Experience: Sascha has worked as an intern at the Cooper and Kirk law firm, as a research assistant at K50 Ventures, as a fellow at Hudson Institute Political Studies, and as a research associate at The Federalist Society.
Activities: Sascha’s extracurricular activities include serving as chairman and former secretary of the Conservative Party of the Yale Political Union, a fellow of the Buckley Program, a member of the Alexander Hamilton Society, and a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Anna Krans
College: Pauli Murray
Major: History
Internship: National Institutions of Health Office of Nutrition Research
Experience: Anna works as a food systems research assistant at the School of the Environment, where she co-organized the 2025 Blue Food Systems and Smallholders Conference. She has conducted research on the legal implications of the European Union’s Geographic Indications system under the guidance of Paul Freedman and worked at a sourdough bakery in her hometown of De Pere, Wisconsin.
Activities: Anna has served on Yale College Council’s Executive Board as dining policy director, leading efforts to reinstate produce in the university’s largest dining hall. She is a member of the Yale Debate Association and Y Pop Up and leads communications for Yale Club Running.
Samhita Kumar
College: Morse
Major: Political Science and History (Computer Programming Certificate)
Internship: Judge J. Michelle Childs of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Experience: Samhita is an editorial intern at the Yale Law Journal and the director of educational programming at Pardoned for Innocence, a nonprofit organization working toward wrongful conviction compensation reform. With a background in computer science, she has previously worked as a software development engineering intern at Amazon Web Services and Karsun Innovation Solutions, specializing in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Activities: Samhita served as oral argument captain and summer programming director for the Yale Undergraduate Moot Court team, where she has been selected for nationals three years in a row to deliver arguments about constitutional law. She is a coordinator at the Yale Community Kitchen, leading volunteers to serve food-insecure residents in New Haven. Additionally, she is the lead web designer for The New Journal and the Yale Undergraduate Journal of Religion.
Toby Neal
College: Davenport
Major: Political Science
Internship: Lt. Governor of North Carolina
Experience: Toby has interned in the office of North Carolina Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt, working on issues related to workforce development and education policy. Additionally, Toby has served in various capacities in his county Board of Elections, and as national president for FBLA Collegiate.
Activities: Toby serves on the executive board of the Yale College Council and is vice president of the Yale Transfer Student Alliance, focusing on student advocacy and institutional access, and is a member of the Yale Debate Association and a Buckley fellow.
Jack Olson
College: Trumbull
Major: Global Affairs and History
Internship: United States Trade Representative
Experience: Jack was an intern at NewsGuard, a news intelligence firm based in New York, where he analyzed foreign and domestic sources of misinformation online and authored dozens of fact-check articles on popular false claims. He also interned with the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with the Chinese Communist Party, where he performed research on recent developments and legislation related to U.S.-China relations and national security. He has also studied abroad in Lima, Peru, as part of a Yale Summer Session Abroad program.
Activities: Jack serves as the editor in chief of The Buckley Beacon, a campus publication dedicated to free speech and news coverage from all political perspectives. He also co-founded Yale’s chapter of the John Quincy Adams Society, a campus organization dedicated to promoting realism and restraint in foreign policy. He is also a member of the Yale Men’s Rugby team.
Zach Pan
College: Ezra Stiles
Major: Political Science and History
Internship: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.)
Experience: Zach has worked as an intern for Rep. Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Jim Himes, ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee. He served as deputy political director for Liz Whitmer Gereghty’s congressional campaign in New York, worked as a finance intern for Christina Bohannon’s congressional campaign in Iowa, and co-founded the youth voter organization Gen Z for Democracy.
Activities: Zach is co-president of the Yale Slifka Center for Jewish Life, as well as the Yale Asian Jewish Union. He serves as the treasurer of the Yale College Democrats, chairman of Bulldog Democrats PAC, and as a student panelist on the Yale Executive Committee.
Alessandra Pappalardi
College: Trumbull
Major: Political Science (B.A./M.A.) and History of Science, Medicine and Public Health (B.A.) with an Italian Certificate
Internship: The New Haven Mayor’s Office Democracy Fund
Experience: Alessandra served as an intern for the Center for Family Justice in Bridgeport. As an ISPS Dahl scholar, Alessandra is conducting an experiment on ideological trust in communities and structured dialogue. She is also doing ethnography with the Wooster Square Italian-American community, and she works for Dwight Hall to bolster New Haven-specific volunteerism.
Activities: Alessandra volunteers at Community Soup Kitchen. She is active in the Yale Political Union, where she serves as leader of the Women’s Caucus and served as chairwoman of the Party of the Left. Alessandra is also creating a feminist zine as co-president of the Women’s Leadership Initiative.
Diego Paz
College: Pauli Murray
Major: Political Science and Ethnicity, Race, and Migration with a Human Rights Certificate
Internship: San Diego Public Defender, Immigration Unit
Experience: Diego has worked as a mitigation intern for the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Connecticut; a Yale Law School Liman Summer Undergraduate Fellow; as a legal advocacy intern for Elena’s Light, a community partner for Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS); a research assistant for the University Network for Human Rights Disappearances in Mexico project; and an undergraduate assistant for Katherine L. Braner at the Liman Center for Public Interest Law at Yale Law School.
Activities: Diego is a proud tour guide for the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions and social media ambassador for the Yale Office of Public Affairs and Communications. He has held several elected/appointed positions in the Yale College Council, supported first-year students as a peer liaison for the Yale LGBTQ Center, and co-headed the Camp Yale program Cultural Connections.
Keith Pemberton
College: Branford
Major: History with a Certificate in Computing, Culture, and Society
Internship: National Archives and Records Administration or North Carolina State Archives
Experience: Keith has been a research assistant at the Library of Congress Manuscript Division and a student ambassador for the HistoryMakers Digital Archive. He is the founder of QuarterMill, an AI-enabled provenance infrastructure startup that makes archival documents queryable and discoverable at scale.
Activities: Keith is president of the Yale College chapter of the NAACP, a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and director of program instruction for Yale Hemispheres, an international relations program for New Haven public school students.
Kaylee Pierre
College: Benjamin Franklin
Major: History of Science, Medicine, and Public Health with a Certificate in Advanced French Language and Global Health Studies
Internship: Pending
Experience: Kaylee has worked as a judicial intern for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York under Chief Judge Margo K. Brodie. She prepared fact sheets and legal resources for the Victim Rights Center of Connecticut through the Yale Undergraduate Legal Aid Association. At ISPS, she served as a judicial research assistant for Allison Haris, studying how judges make decisions and how factors such as peer influence shape judicial outcomes.
Activities: Kaylee is a member of Yale Mock Trial and Yale Moot Court, where she previously served as publicity director. She volunteers at New Haven Community Baby Shower and The Diaper Bank of Connecticut to distribute infant and maternal health supplies.
Lucas Ranfranz
College: Pierson
Major: Political Science with a Certificate in Persian and Iranian Studies
Proposed Internship: Federal Government
Experience: Lucas has served as an intern with the U.S. Department of Justice in New Haven, working on national security matters, and in Dallas, working on criminal cases. In addition, he worked as an intern for a bankruptcy firm in Dallas and as a live on-air radio personality for KEOM 88.5 FM.
Activities: Lucas is a First Year Counselor (FroCo) for Pierson College, co-founder and treasurer for Yale Undergraduate Journal of Religion, a member of the Saint Thomas More’s Undergraduate Council and a lector for the church, and a member of the Polish Students Society at Yale.
Will Shaw
College: Saybrook
Major: Political Science with a Certificate of Advanced Language Study in Chinese
Internship: Office of the Federal Public Defender, District of Connecticut
Experience: Will has interned for Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn. He also serves as a research assistant for Alexandre Debs and Matthew Fuhrmann, helping evaluate the feasibility of nuclear arms control between the United States, Russia, and China. Last summer, he studied advanced Chinese language in Beijing as a Richard U. Light Fellow.
Activities: William studies violin with Prof. Kyung Yu at the Yale School of Music and played in the Yale Symphony Orchestra. He also works as a computer assistant at Yale Law School and is a member of Yale Club Powerlifting and Yale Club Baseball