Yale's Public Service Fellows Work to Improve Greater New Haven

Many Yale University students are spending the summer in New Haven working on community service projects, thanks to funding from the Yale President’s Office and Dwight Hall.

Projects include helping the elderly, the indigent and the mentally ill. Some students are assisting welfare recipients find gainful employment; others are researching safe homes for abused children, teaching at a free day camp for underprivileged young people, assisting in a literacy program, providing free legal and health care services, and more.

Forty students were selected to be President’s Public Service Fellows, working for a range of public and non-profit organizations that serve the Greater New Haven community. Established by Yale President Richard C. Levin in 1994, the program has, over the years, enabled more than 200 students to participate in neighborhood and community-revitalization projects. The application process is competitive, and students who are chosen receive a stipend for their work. Fellows meet weekly and at the end of the summer submit a report describing their project.

Ten students are serving as Dwight Hall Summer Interns this year. An independent organization at Yale that promotes community service and social justice, Dwight Hall has been offering summer internships for more than 30 years. The internships enable students to spend the summer in New Haven working on full-time projects they have designed in response to community needs. The projects generally are continued during the academic year as part of Dwight Hall’s regular volunteer opportunities.

To learn more about these programs and to arrange to interview participating students, please contact the Office of Public Affairs.