Community Supervisors
Dwight Hall offers a variety of paid internships and fellowships designed for students to grow as leaders of public service and social change in New Haven and beyond. In the ’22-’23 academic year, Dwight Hall sponsored 131 fellowships at community sites, contributing 10,376 service hours at no cost to community partners. Community supervisors are integral to the success of these programs.
Being a Dwight Hall Community Supervisor
Dwight Hall fellowships are unique in being student-driven and community-led. We want students to come away from an experience having developed a deepened relationship with a community outside of Yale, a better understanding of how public service and social justice can fit into their lives, and tangible skills that will open the door to common good careers after graduating. Dwight Hall provides resources to support student fellows, but it is up to community supervisors to keep in regular contact with students, provide training, and design a meaningful project together.
Benefits
By taking on a student as a Dwight Hall fellow, supervisors can expect to see:
- Increased organizational capacity with a new member on your team
- Sustained programming relationships with Dwight Hall programs
- Increased collaboration with Yale and Yale students
Dwight Hall can advertise your opportunity as a fellowship on our website, in our newsletter, and with potential fellows during recruitment times (typically at the beginning of the fall semester and the end of the spring semester). Interested students will fill out an application and then be directed to you. We ask that students meet community supervisors before committing to a placement so both parties can assess if the fellowship will be the right fit.
Our Dwight Hall Fellows have made significant and meaningful contributions to the work of the Connecticut Children’s Museum and Creating Kids Childcare Center! It is wonderful to see Yale students who are so eager to learn about and contribute to the New Haven community, and Dwight Hall does a fantastic job equipping them with the resources and supports they need to be successful.
Jess Bialecki (Former Executive Director)
What do I need to be a good supervisor?
- A community-based organization affiliation. Ideally, supervisors hold a leadership position in a nonprofit organization (typically in or around New Haven, but anywhere is fine) that has the capacity for a student to join. If supervisors are not affiliated with the placement organization, they should be knowledgeable in the field and willing to become familiar with the student’s work.
- Time. Especially near the beginning of a fellowship, it helps if a supervisor has a couple of extra hours available in their week to discuss tasks, check in with the student, and respond to questions when they come up.
- Flexibility in scheduling. During the school year, academics come first. Students may be less available to work on projects during midterms and finals. For information about term time and break schedules, view the Yale Academic Calendar.
- Flexibility in projects. The best fellowship outcomes happen when supervisors work together to design an experience that aligns with both their needs and the student’s area of interest.
Expectations for Students
Depending on the fellowship, students are expected to work 6-8 hours per week during the school year or full-time over the summer [See the full list of fellowships here]. They must submit weekly reflections to Dwight Hall and can choose to send these to their mentor. Beyond these technical requirements, they are expected to behave professionally, communicate clearly with their mentor and Dwight Hall, and be respectful of the people and spaces around them.
During the school year, the student’s fellowship should take high priority as their main extracurricular. If a supervisor believes that a student is falling short of the fellowship expectations, they can contact mark.fopeano@yale.edu to set up a meeting and discuss next steps. There may be grounds to dismiss fellows who do not communicate for over three weeks.
Previous Projects
| Placement | Project Description |
|---|---|
| HAVEN Free Clinic | As a Summer Fellow, Kat fostered a stronger network of community partners, allowing the clinic to expand and update their resources, launch new initiatives, and evaluate internal standards. Over the 10-week period, Kat onboarded new staff, cared for patients, and secured a $20,000 government grant for the organization. |
| Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services | Nina received a Member Group fellowship to support an ongoing volunteer partnership between her student group, the Migration Alliance at Yale, and IRIS. Throughout the fellowship, Nina took on the role of co-Director of the women’s group, connecting immigrant and refugee women through IRIS with student volunteers. |
| Artspace New Haven | As a Community Response Fellow, Iman ran tours, managed the social media account, and worked at the front desk while assisting with summer programming for local high schoolers and curating an original show. |
| Creating Kids Childcare Center at the Connecticut Children’s Museum | As an Urban Fellow, Angelreana split time providing direct childcare services and working in the museum doing administrative and grant-related work. In a year, Angelreana helped with funding proposals and organized “The Little Read,” New Haven’s annual literacy event for kids. |
Memorandum of Understanding
Dwight Hall asks that supervisors sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Dwight Hall on behalf of their organization. The MOU defines expectations that the supervisor will manage the student’s experience and Dwight Hall will provide resources during the agreed-upon time frame. Dwight Hall will send a full fellowship-specific MOU near the beginning of a fellowship.
Dwight Hall will:
- Collect a leadership contract
- Pay the student (typically based on Financial Aid status)
- Collect weekly and end-of-semester reflections
- Provide free access to resources such as cars, bus passes, and printing [See more about resources here].
Supervisors will:
- Share an opportunity description with the student and Dwight Hall
- Provide orientation and training if necessary
- Monitor the student’s progress
- Provide end-of-semester feedback to Dwight Hall
What do I do once a fellowship begins?
Once the student signs their fellowship contract with us, they can start work at their placement site. If they have worked for the community organization in the current semester before signing their contract, they may be eligible for back pay. The supervisor will collaborate on an opportunity description with the student near the beginning of the fellowship to ensure that expectations are shared.
Supervisor Interest Form
Community leaders who are interested in offering a fellowship position through Dwight Hall should fill out the form below. If our staff believes that your organization is mission-aligned, they will reach out to set up a meeting.
If you already have Yale student volunteers at your site who want to become paid fellows, direct them to mark.fopeano@yale.edu or sevi.burget-foster@yale.edu to discuss which fellowship options make the most sense.
For more on recruiting volunteers, or if you are interested in becoming a Dwight Hall community partner, please visit our Community Resources page.
