"I spent my summer on Capitol Hill as a National Security Fellow with Sen. Richard Blumenthal's (D-CT) defense team. Sen. Blumenthal is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), whose annual legislative priority is the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) — the principal legislation governing our military budgets and requirements. I arrived just in time to support NDAA markup; I helped prepare our office's amendments, reviewed other offices' proposed amendments (618 in all), recommended edits, and advised yay/nay on final drafts. After markup, I pushed two standalone bills: The first would reform the Insurrection Act (S.4699), increasing checks and balances on domestic military deployment, and the second would streamline security assistance to Ukraine. As a JD/MPP candidate interested in politics and national security, this experience gave me a fantastic perspective on national security policymaking and a jumpstart on legal reading and writing ahead of law school. I was also able to put some of the economics and political science I learned at Jackson to use!"

"I spent my summer at the Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) in Honolulu, Hawai’i, collaborating with the U.S. Navy to find commercial solutions that would enhance situational awareness on surface vessels through AI applications in workflow automation, track confidence scoring, and sensor and resource optimization. My role involved evaluating the technical fit and innovative potential of numerous vendors through a multi-stage evaluation process, culminating in a week-long trip to San Diego for vendor pitches. There, my intern cohort and I were able to hear live presentations directly from both established defense tech players and up-and-coming start-ups. I supported the interests of various DoD stakeholders, and my written contributions will help narrow down the final few vendors who will soon receive government contracts to prototype their solutions.

Over the course of 10 weeks, I met with service members across the many military installations on O’ahu. I gained insight into the real-life technological challenges of active-duty personnel on the ground. I also attended seminars and conferences, such as INDOPACOM’s biothreat simulation conference, AbleResolve, and sessions at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies, where I connected with experts in cross-cultural diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific region.

I decided to apply for the DIU Summer Fellowship after a class visit to the DIU Mountain View, California office, organized by Professor Ted Wittenstein’s year-long AI, Emerging Tech, and National Powers course this January. DIU sits at the intersection of Silicon Valley and the Pentagon, accelerating the deployment of essential technologies to the warfighter at speed and scale. Being part of a mission I deeply care about, and supporting peace in conflict zones through improved technology acquisition for our forces, was incredibly fulfilling. I am grateful for the exposure I gained to the largest national security apparatus through DIU and look forward to deepening my knowledge in this space through my coursework this upcoming year.

On top of all that, spending a few months in Hawai’i made for the best summer I’ve ever had. I have Jackson to thank for that!"

"This summer, I interned with the Global Health & Wellbeing team at Open Philanthropy, a San Francisco–based philanthropic funder and advisor that has directed over $4 billion in grants since 2011. The organization focuses on maximizing impact per dollar — measured in lives saved and income gains — across sectors, guided by evidence and cost-effectiveness. My work involved evaluating two development interventions, one in maternal health and another in the telecom space, through literature reviews, expert interviews, and quantitative modeling. Jackson’s training in statistics and economics gave me the technical foundation for the role, while my broader academic experience at Yale helped me think strategically about my career goals and secure an internship at the center of the professional ecosystem I hope to work in after graduation. A referral from a non-Jackson Yale graduate helped me navigate a competitive recruiting process, speaking to the strength of the broader Yale network available to Jackson students."

"I spent the summer at the UN World Food Programme's HQ office in Rome working on humanitarian policy issues within their emergency preparedness and response function. Thanks to Jackson funding and the Coca Cola Fellowship, I was able to be a fellow at WFP at a time when they are unable to hire interns due to hiring freezes and funding constraints, and thus are particularly in need of additional support. I led the initial steps of the review process as part of the generation of a new policy on emergency responses, helping kick off the two-year process of a policy formulation that will eventually be approved by member states and the executive board.

This is a critical juncture for the UN and the nation-state system more broadly, and the opportunity to inform new institutional policies on emergency responses for WFP came at a challenging but fascinating time. I got to sit in on WFP's board meetings and observe how member states shape the organization's policies and actions, and came out with a greater understanding for the functioning and leadership of WFP and the broader UN ecosystem."

"Over the summer, I had the privilege of joining Dalberg's Mumbai office as a postgraduate consultant. As part of the advisory team, I supported a multilateral development agency to map South Asian governments' digital infrastructure and assess how strategic investments in digital public infrastructure could unlock transformative economic and social benefits across sectors. The role drew directly on the economic analysis, modeling and persuasive writing skills I have sharpened at Jackson, while challenging me to navigate a new region that is leading in digital infrastructure and deliver insights that can inform high-impact policy and investment decisions."

"This summer, I had the privilege of working as a research analyst with the Americas Practice at DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group in Washington, D.C. As part of the Latin America team, I conducted in-depth research on policy developments and industry trends across the region, primarily focusing on the healthcare, tech, and energy sectors. My work directly supported clients' decision-making and market strategies throughout Latin America.

One of the highlights of this experience was collaborating with Jackson alumni. I worked under the expert guidance of Senior Associates Manuela Nivia MPP '23 and María José Ramírez Rosaslanda MPP '24, which showcased how Jackson's network enhances professional collaboration beyond graduation.

Beyond my core responsibilities, I seized numerous opportunities in D.C. I attended citywide networking events, advocated for Latinx causes on Capitol Hill, and published an op-ed for a leading think tank. I was honored to accept a scholarship for LGBTQ+ changemakers and proud to represent Jackson at an educational fair. A personal highlight was securing a visit to the White House.

This internship allowed me to apply the analytical skills I've developed at Jackson while gaining practical knowledge of Latin American markets and the strategic consulting industry. It was an invaluable experience that has significantly informed my career considerations post-graduation."

"Over my Jackson summer, I had the pleasure of working for Fresh Life, partner of The Sanergy Collaborative, in Nairobi, Kenya. Fresh Life is a social enterprise that provides safe, affordable sanitation solutions in urban slums while its partner upcycles the waste into sellable products. In my role, I conducted a project to strengthen Fresh Life’s service delivery model and improve customer retention, conducting stakeholder interviews and defining the project through implementation and evaluation. I also designed and built a data analytics platform to optimize Fresh Life’s government and community relations engagements. Jackson’s Social Innovation Initiative connected me to the coursework, mentorship and opportunities needed to effectively contribute to Fresh Life’s mission. I loved the opportunity to work with a mature social enterprise and see concepts from my Jackson coursework — like results-based financing and systems change — in action."

"Over the summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern with the Fukutake Foundation at Benesse Art Site Naoshima in Japan and with Koalisi Seni (Art Coalition) Indonesia. At the Fukutake Foundation, I worked closely with the programs team to design and oversee outreach initiatives for local residents and visitors. I also contributed to archival studies of the Seto Inland Sea islands, learning about negotiation and collective policymaking from various stakeholders such as the local government, entrepreneurs, and community members. At Koalisi Seni, as a policy advocacy and research intern, I assisted in research development, conducted literature reviews, managed a database of censorship cases, and wrote op-eds on key arts policy issues in Indonesia. These two unique experiences helped me understand what it would be like working at the intersection of policy and the arts sector."

"I spent my Jackson summer in Paris, working for the OECD’s Global Relations and Cooperation’s Directorate for Latin America and the Caribbean. In this role, I was able to participate on many high-level events, such as the launch of the third PISA 2022 report and the first OECD Forum on Gender Equality — where I had the opportunity to meet former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and discuss her government’s education policies. 

I was fortunate enough to attain an internship doing research on Latin America and, also, on a subject close to my own life experience. My main task is preparing the background note for the ministerial summit on social inclusion to be held in Colombia in October 2024. At first, I thought that for this role my quantitative skills would be the most relevant; however, I quickly found out that the writing skills I have acquired in my time at Jackson would be just as, if not more, important.

The generous Jackson funding allowed me to choose the internship that would be most beneficial for my future career, regardless of the cost of living or whether it was a paid position. Working for an international organization has been an extremely enriching professional experience, and something I was interested in since I came to Yale. I can’t deny that the Olympics taking place in Paris this summer are also a bonus."

"This summer, I had the pleasure of interning at the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of International Affairs. As a member of the Western Hemisphere team, I tracked macroeconomic developments across Central and South America and the Caribbean and helped inform U.S. economic policy toward the region. I researched the economic impact of presidential elections in Mexico and Venezuela, analyzed IMF and World Bank funding to small island nations, and contributed to a report on nearshoring in Mexico and China’s efforts to circumvent U.S. tariffs. This internship allowed me to build on the economic analysis and writing skills I have developed at Jackson while diving into an unfamiliar region of the world. It also introduced me to public sector service — a path I hope to pursue upon graduation."