Since 1968, the Dwight Hall Summer Fellows Program has enabled a select cohort of Yale students each summer to participate in public service internships with community partners in New Haven and across the country. This summer, Dwight Hall supported thirty-two students to work on projects ranging from advancing mental health awareness in minority communities to interning with the United Nations Development Programme in assisting with international development work. At its core, the Summer Fellows program seeks to create “pathways to careers in the social sector and a lifetime commitment to social justice.” This year’s cohort consisted of 11 students who received full funding for their summer internship and 21 students who received supplemental financial support. As the summer of 2026 draws to a close, this year’s Summer Fellows looked back on what they learned, accomplished, and contributed through their work.
John Robert Walker ’28 participated in the Fannie Lou Hamer Emerging Leaders program at the Mississippi Workers’ Center for Human Rights. The Mississippi Workers’ Center represents low-wage workers in state and federal court to combat employment discrimination and uphold workers’ legal protections. “My day-to-day work involved conducting power mapping research in support of the Center’s legal cases and advocacy campaigns, which was a great way to gain a sense of the role that corporate actors play in the region,” JR explained. When considering what he learned from his time at the Center, JR expressed gratitude for the mentorship he received from Attorney Jaribu Hill, who “beautifully demonstrated what it means to be a movement lawyer and, in her words, to always stand on the side of those who have nothing.”
Amira Ibrahim ’27 worked with The Brain and Body Coalition in Poughkeepsie, NY, an organization “committed to enhancing children’s mental health within communities of color through education, advocacy, and proactive care.” Reflecting on her work, Amira said, “I enjoyed getting more involved in community events and seeing how mental health outreach can be integrated into everyday family activities. One highlight was interacting with families and seeing how welcoming, community-centered events encourage people to engage with available resources.” Through her fellowship, Amira saw firsthand how community-based outreach can make mental health resources more approachable and accessible to families.
Marie McKinney ’28 recently completed her summer fellowship with the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission, which “investigates and enforces federal, state and county laws pertaining to human rights, antidiscrimination, fair housing, and equal employment laws.” Marie described the fellowship as an opportunity to take on meaningful, hands-on responsibilities: “My fellow interns and I were treated as mini-commissioners, being given a case to work on individually with samples on how to write and dissect each part of a case, from intake letters to phone calls, and providing closing documentation when the cases were finished.” Marie’s experience in this hands-on work environment allowed her to “see the tangible impact of every call and document for constituents who filed with the commission.”
Alina Vaidya Mahadevan ’27 worked at the United Nations Development Programme, a UN agency working with countries to eradicate poverty while protecting the environment. During her internship, she worked within the Governance, Rule of Law, and Peacebuilding Hub, interacting with a variety of UN agencies. Looking back on her time with the UNDP, Alina wrote, “A huge thank you to Dwight Hall for facilitating this experience!” She added, “I learned a lot about the cross-cutting work UNDP and other UN agencies are doing in the peacemaking and peacebuilding space.”
The 2026 Dwight Hall Summer Fellows program was made possible through the generous support of the Yale Alumni Nonprofit Alliance, the Yale Club of New Haven, the Charlotte Foundation, Dr. Peter R. Muehrer ’82 Fund, Hugh R. McCombs ’68, the Deborah Rose Foundation, the Zephyrus Fund of the Triangle Community Foundation, Dr. & Mrs. David L. Warren ’70 M.Div., ’70 M.U.S., Yale alumni and friends, and the Dwight Hall Summer Fellows Fund.
Dwight Hall remains committed to providing a platform for students to learn about the value of service. Experiences made possible through programs like Summer Fellows expose Yale students to pathways in social impact careers and build towards a lifelong commitment to social justice. The Summer Fellowship advances the Grow pillar of Dwight Hall’s Engage, Grow, and Advance program delivery model by developing students’ intellectual, moral, civic, and creative capacities to the fullest with experiential learning and fellowships.
More Groups and Programs
About the Author
