"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!"

"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."

"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 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."

"Over the summer, I completed an internship with the US Embassy in Singapore in the Economic/Political section. I supported Embassy officers tracking domestic politics, assisting US companies operating in Singapore and the greater ASEAN region, and deepening the US partnership with Singapore. In late May, I served as the control officer for our Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's major defense summit. In attendance were delegations from China, India, Japan, Korea and many more countries. Prime Minister Albanese of Australia delivered the keynote address alongside major addresses by US Secretary of Defense Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu. In addition to external facing diplomatic work, I helped our ESTH (Environment, Science, Technology, Health) officers to analyze the state of shark finning in the region. After beginning Mandarin study during my first year at Jackson, it was validating to be in a country where Mandarin was not only a part of political work but a part of daily life as well. It was energizing to be thrust into the world of diplomacy, especially in a region where commercial, diplomatic, and political competition is at a high watermark. The soft and hard skills I gained from Jackson were all immediately put into use in Embassy life, whether it was writing analytical reports or building rapport with counterparts on areas of mutual interest."

"Over my Jackson summer I worked for the World Bank’s Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment as well as Public Sector teams in Abuja, Nigeria. In this role I researched and wrote parts of the World Bank Nigeria’s flagship publication, the biannual Nigeria Development Update, and publicized the report’s macroeconomic policy recommendations with government and non-government stakeholders amidst rapidly changing political and economic circumstances. Later, I also analyzed the political economy of public goods delivery across Nigeria to prepare for the launch of a significant new World Bank project in this field. Having specialized in macroeconomic policy and international development at Jackson, this internship allowed me to leverage that knowledge and deepen my understanding of how multilateral banks work with governments on economic policymaking."

"This summer, I had the pleasure of interning at RMI on their Climate Finance Access Network Team. I explored the ins and outs of climate finance flows to the Caribbean and Pacific regions, and strengthened our training program to support our country partners more securely access climate finance. As part of my work, I researched and published an article about barriers to accessing climate finance in our target regions where I looked at the eligibility criteria for island states. Additionally, I conducted a statistical analysis of international climate funds to better understand the state of climate finance for our partner countries. I loved my time at RMI as it gave me an awesome look at what life post-graduation might look like!"

"This past summer, I was fortunate enough to complete an internship at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy. I was placed within the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity, and the Environment, on a team focused on scaling up climate ambition in agriculture through policy and implementation across a group of 12 developing countries. In this team, I contributed policy research for an upcoming paper about the integration of water, climate, and agriculture in national-level policies around the world, identifying typologies that could be used as models for additional countries in their policy-making strategies to keep in line with Paris Agreement goals through the agricultural sector. My coursework at Jackson in environmental governance and international development prepared me to enter the UN and best take advantage of this incredible opportunity."