Celebrating a Summer of Service and Skill Building

Dom Marshall ’25 engaged with the people and learned the stories of New Haven's diverse communities this summer. Working with CitySeed, an organization dedicated to connecting communities through sustainable food systems, Marshall spent his summer interacting with individuals from all walks of life.

“CitySeed is an amazing organization,” he shared. “I got to meet people who have been coming to the market for years and heard their stories. It strengthened my cultural awareness and allowed me to connect with people I wouldn’t normally meet.”

Marshall is one of a group fo University of New Haven students who participated in the President’s Public Service Fellowship (PPSF) and the Bergami Family Summer Internship (BFSI) programs this past summer. Together, these initiatives offer students the chance to blend academic learning with real-world experience.

PPSF, celebrating its 25th anniversary, connects students with community organizations across Greater New Haven. Meanwhile, the BFSI program, launched in 2012, enables students to pursue unpaid internships that align with their career goals while receiving financial support.

‘Our vision is to ensure students have a distinct, exceptional, and transformative experience’

Vice president of student affairs Ophelie Rowe-Allen, Ed.D., emphasized that the focus of the programs is on helping students develop core skills such as teamwork, resilience, and leadership. “Our vision is to ensure students have a distinct, exceptional, and transformative experience at the University,” Dr. Rowe-Allen explained. “We want them to be agents of change.”

The programs hold personal significance for Phil Bartels ‘11 Hon., whose family founded the PPSF program. “They wanted to give undergraduates an experience they would not otherwise have,” reflected Mr. Bartels, a member of the University’s Board of Governors, and former chair, and a longstanding benefactor. Students selected for PPSF and BFSI are noted for their academic and co-curricular commitment and dedication to service, representing the University as ambassadors in their roles.

Alberta Sinani ’25 M.A., a candidate in the University’s graduate program in community psychology and the PPSF coordinator, explained the program’s design. “With more than 1,900 hours combined, they all improved in their core competencies throughout the summer, especially in the area of teamwork,” she shared.

For Marshall and his peers, connecting with diverse communities often opened their minds and changed their perspectives in ways they hadn’t anticipated. “We realized we could bring about change,” he shared. “I learned so much.”

‘These students are ambassadors for the University’

The BFSI program also plays a critical role in career preparation, allowing students to focus on skill development without financial burden. Since its inception, nearly 100 students have received financial support through the program.

“Someone I worked with said, ‘I really hate unpaid internships,’ and I said, ‘Me too,’” program coordinator and executive director of the Career Development Center Matt Caporale recalled. “We pitched this program, and the Bergami family has funded it ever since.”

For marine biology major Giavanna Cucarese ’25, this support allowed her to intern with Oceans Research Institute in South Africa, where she studied white shark populations. “I spent 2-3 days a week on a boat, studying a population in decline,” Cucarese explained. “It was eye-opening work, and I learned so much about field research.”

Other students, such as criminal justice major Olivia Figueira ’25, gained insights into their fields through experiences that would be hard to replicate in the classroom. “I fell in love with the work the police academy did,” Figueira said. “I know now I want to go into policing.”

‘Experiential learning is transformative, and we are so proud of these interns’

The Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Advancement invited the University community to celebrate the students' accomplishments and recognize the impact on each participant. “We believe these experiences are not only beneficial for students’ career development but also in providing them with opportunities to engage with larger questions that extend beyond the classroom,” remarked Dr. Rowe-Allen.

Xiomara Milholland ’25, a BFSI intern with the Mount Vernon Police Department, recounted one particular experience that boosted her confidence. “I was terrified to teach real officers what I was learning in school,” she admitted, “but the chance to put my learning into practice and even teach officers was a confidence boost I’ll carry forward.”

For others, such as Sarah Gaudreau ’25, who interned with the CREST program in New Haven, the program reaffirmed her career aspirations in criminal justice.

Dr. Rowe-Allen summed up the significance of both programs: “Experiential learning transforms lives, and we are deeply inspired by what these students have accomplished.”

Mr. Bartels echoed her sentiment: “These students embody the University’s dedication to meaningful, real-world learning.”