Community Mental Health Fellows

About Dwight Hall Community Mental Health Fellows:

Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC) and Dwight Hall at Yale have collaborated to engage undergraduates, support research and community-based initiatives, and expand the pool of students focused on educational and career pathways in public health. In 2018, they launched the year-long Community Mental Health Fellows Program with seven students. Now two dozen Fellows serve the New Haven community while gaining experience and advancing their academic and professional pursuits in public health service. The program is divided into two tracks (Service and Research) and provides stipends or work-study options so students can support their education financially while benefiting from site-specific experiential learning opportunities.

The program has a collaborative leadership structure with Director of Service Track and CMHC Foundation Director Kyle Pedersen, Director of Research Track Dr. Sarah Fineberg, student leaders, and Dwight Hall at Yale Programming and Evaluation Director Mark Fopeano. The program begins with an introduction to the extensive work of CMHC, followed by the identification of specific projects aligning with the CMHC’s goals and the personal interests of the students. Fellows are matched with a mentor within a project placement that is either research-focused (e.g., wet lab, clinical) or service-focused (e.g., community forensic services, psychiatric street outreach). There are also opportunities for fellows to engage in professional and alumni panels in the fields of public and mental health.

Fellows actively reflect on their experiences through weekly written reports and participate in regular cohort conversations. The program also fosters peer-to-peer support, allowing fellows to periodically meet and discuss their experiences, leading to the development of collaborative projects.

2024-2025 Student Leaders:

• Karen Ayoub ’25 (karen.ayoub@yale.edu)
• Nicole Campbell ’25 (nicole.campbell@yale.edu)
• Goeun Lee ’25 (goeun.g.lee@yale.edu)
• Jessica Na ’25 (jessica.na@yale.edu)

These student leaders play a crucial role in guiding and enriching the experience of the Community Mental Health Fellows program. You may contact them if you have any questions about the program.