Student Service Corps
Program Description
2026 Public Service Fellows
Mehek Saha, Vanderbilt University
Mehek Saha is a student at Vanderbilt University studying Economics and National Security. This summer, she interned for Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) before joining the office of Congressman French Hill (R-AR-02), Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
At Vanderbilt, Mehek is a research assistant at the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions and serves as Vice President of Vandy Votes, Vanderbilt’s civic engagement organization. She is particularly interested in the intersection of financial policy and national security and how financial policy can shape broader national security priorities.
Mehek plans to return to public service after graduation, where she hopes to apply her interests in economics, financial policy, and national security to a career in government.
Fisher Mallon, Duke University
Fisher Mallon is a student at Duke University, where he is pursuing a double major in Environmental Science & Policy and Economics and will graduate in May 2027. From Silver Spring, Maryland, Fisher is committed to accelerating decarbonization to protect people and nature from climate change.
At Duke, Fisher co-founded a pro bono student environmental consultancy and leads research on financed emissions. He has also gained experience in federal climate and energy policy through internships with an energy-focused think tank and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Fisher is a recipient of the Robertson Scholarship, the Nakayama Public Service Scholarship, and the 2026 Udall Undergraduate Scholarship.
Fisher hopes to pursue a career in federal climate and energy policy, working to ensure Americans are protected from the impacts of climate change and can benefit from abundant, low-carbon energy.
Cate Gregory, University of California, Los Angeles
Cate Gregory is a junior at the University of California, Los Angeles, majoring in Environmental Science and minoring in Public Affairs. She recently completed a summer internship with the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms as a State Office Operations intern and previously interned in the District Office of U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32).
At UCLA, Cate serves as Director of the Sustainability Goals Committee within the Facilities Commission of the Undergraduate Students Activities Commission. She is also a Senior Consultant with Net Impact, where she served as Project Manager for a climate-technology startup. She has also conducted undergraduate research on heat-mitigation solutions in Los Angeles.
Raised as a Navy brat, Cate is drawn to public service and environmental advocacy. Her experience on Capitol Hill strengthened her interest in the legislative process and pursuing a legal career. She hopes to practice environmental law and ultimately return to Capitol Hill to advance environmental legislation.
Lane Frost, Texas A&M University
Lane Frost is a graduate of the University of Dayton with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration. He currently attends the Texas A&M University Bush School of Public Policy and Government in Washington, D.C., where he is pursuing a degree in National Security & Intelligence Studies.
Lane has worked in government at the local, state, and federal levels and is committed to continuing his career in public service. At the Bush School, his studies focus on intelligence analysis, international relations, and energy security. Through his academic and professional experiences, Lane is particularly interested in the intersection of national security and Congress.
Lane hopes to continue expanding his knowledge of national security policy and apply his experience in government to a career in public service.
Natasha Quinn, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Natasha Quinn is a Walmart Emerging Leaders Intern with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, where she supports initiatives focused on developing the next generation of public servants. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa with a degree in Political Science, where she served as President of the Mānoa Pre-Law Association.
Before joining the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Natasha worked as a legislative aide in the Hawaiʻi State Senate and participated in the Disney College Program. She is a recipient of the Margaret & Roy Eby Scholarship and the Philip Jacob Peace Memorial Scholarship, which supported her research on constitutional reform, peacebuilding, and intercultural understanding.
Natasha is committed to a lifelong career in public service and hopes to continue building on her experiences in government, research, and civic engagement. She ultimately aspires to serve as President of the United States.
Quinn Luong, Yale University
Quinn Luong is a Master in Public Policy candidate at Harvard Kennedy School and a recent graduate of Yale College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and an Advanced Language Certificate in Spanish. He has interned in four Congressional offices, including the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Committee on House Administration, the House Judiciary Committee, and Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon’s district office.
This is Quinn’s second year with the Stennis Center. He is an alum of the Stennis Program for Congressional Interns and a recipient of the 2026 Stennis Student Service Corps Fellowship. He has also written for the Public Service Review on education policy and how his passion for public service began in his mother’s nail salon.
In his free time, Quinn serves as a translator at his mother’s nail salon, speaking Spanish, Vietnamese, and Mandarin. He hopes to continue a career in public service at the intersection of policy, government, and community.
2025 Public Service Fellows
Caroline Collier, University of Alabama
Caroline Collier interned in the Washington D.C. office of Rep. Jake Ellzey (TX-06) this past summer. Previously she worked for USLege as a Capitol Liason in the Texas Legislature. Caroline graduated from the University of Alabama with a BS in Finance and Economics. Caroline now works in the White House Social Office.
Maggie Fitzgerald, Villanova University
Maggie Fitzgerald is a rising junior at Villanova University studying political science and French. From Naperville, IL but originally born in Washington, D.C to two former Capitol Hill staffers, she considers herself political by nature. Maggie is the Co-Culture Editor of her university newspaper, as well as a member of the Philly Justice Project dedicated to helping wrongfully incarcerated women. This summer, Maggie has had the privilege of interning with her own Representative, Congressman Bill Foster (IL-11), allowing her to partake in the Summer 2025 Stennis Congressional Intern program. She hopes to continue making her mark in the world of public policy, with a particular interest in education and health disparities.
Tatiana Nazlymov, Princeton University
Edith Pendell, University of Michigan
Edith Pendell is a rising junior at the University of Michigan, where she studies political science and English. She is a recipient of the Alvin Morrell Bentley Scholarship, awarded by the family foundation of the late U.S. Representative from Michigan. On campus, she serves as an editor for The Michigan Daily and sits on the board of directors of the Inter-Cooperative Council at Ann Arbor, a student-owned housing cooperative. In the summer of 2024, Edith interned for Patrick Weiler, a member of the Canadian House of Commons, through a university-sponsored program. She recently completed a communications internship in the office of her home-state senator, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI). She hopes to pursue a career in broadcast journalism or political communications, using nuance, sensitivity, and accuracy to inform and engage the American public. Outside of academics, she enjoys distance running and performing with her a cappella group, Heartbeat.
Jaleyl Edwards-Sharp, Prairie View A&M University
Jaleyl Edwards-Sharp is a public servant and aspiring U.S. diplomat studying Political Science at Prairie View A&M University, a distinguished HBCU. A Spring 2025 Stennis Student Service Corps Fellow, he explored leadership in Congress and interviewed Rep. Emanuel Cleaver on faith in public service. As a U.S. House of Representatives intern, he is most proud of contributions to financial services, foreign policy and leading the creation of visuals mapping federal funding over three fiscal years. A Fund for Education Abroad Scholar, he authored a cultural analysis exploring Afro-descendant identity and its implications on global democracy in the Dominican Republic. He is currently applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program to further his commitment to diplomacy and equity.
Lucy McKay, George Washington University
Lucy McKay is a sophomore at the George Washington University, studying International Affairs as a midshipman in the Capital Battalion Navy ROTC unit. This semester, she interned in the office of Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04) and gained experience working with legislative and communications teams in the House of Representatives. With a passion for public service, Lucy is training towards a commission as an officer in the U.S. Navy. She hopes to one day be a Naval Foreign Area Officer, furthering her passion for diplomacy through military service.
2024 Public Service Fellows
Qye Woodard, Colgate University
Qye Woodard, a proud Virginian from Leesburg, holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Philosophy from Colgate University. He interned in the office of Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) and served as a Fall 2024 intern for the Stennis Program for Congressional Interns. With experience in both legal and political environments, Qye is committed to advocating for communities in need and developing a deeper understanding of how law and policy intersect. He plans to attend law school in the next few years to pursue a career in law or politics. Qye is grateful to the Stennis Center, Congresswoman Wexton, and her office for their mentorship and support.
Gareth Morgan, Purdue University
Gareth, during his selection, was a rising senior in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Purdue University in the Midwest. This summer, he is interning with the House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, primarily focusing on civil aviation and space policy. He is a co-author on two technical research papers one of which focusing on the development of a fundamental computational physics program and the other focusing on studying the projected environmental impact of proposed Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) vehicles. A self-proclaimed plane nerd, his happy place is the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, and he delights in talking people’s ears off about anything that flies.
Noah Vaughn, Duke University
Noah Vaughn, during his selection, was a fourth-year graduate student at Duke University. Noah served with the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations Minority Staff this summer. He is pursuing a Master of Divinity and a Master of Public Policy and is the President of the POLIS Student Committee at Duke University.
Laurel Ann Wilkerson, University of Georgia
Rhea Kalluri, Boston University
Rhea Kalluri, during her selection, was a master’s student at Boston University’s Graduate School of Public Health, with a concentration in Health Policy. Born and raised in Ashburn, Virginia, she finished undergrad with studies in both political science and public health while pursuing numerous extracurriculars like an internship on the Hill. Rhea hopes to later attend law school and come back to the government to work on health policy matters to bring a voice to people of color and underprivileged communities.
2023 Public Service Fellows
Matthew Baharmest, Brandeis University
Matthew Baharmast, during his selection, was a volunteer research fellow at a nationwide environmental policy NGO and an academic researcher at Brandeis University. Matthew served as a legislative intern in Congressman Jake Auchincloss’s (MA-04) office. In 2022, he represented his university and was internationally broadcasted as a presenter within the Research and Independent Non-Governmental Organizations at COP27. He has been a research assistant on Latin American decarbonization policy and predictions, a Brandeis University research initiative funded by the Inter-American Development Bank. Matthew has also held a federal affairs internship with Orsted, a global alternative-energy leader. Matthew grew up and continues to reside in the Washington, DC area.
Tatyana Mayo, Howard University
Tatyana Mayo was a sophomore legal communications major, international affairs minor at Howard University when she was selected. She is from Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Los Angeles, California. Her on campus involvement included being a member of The Howard University Mock Trial team and Jewels Incorporated, a non-profit organization catered toward mentoring young girls in the D.C. community, as well as being a Howard University Student Association Senator. Off campus, she served as a legislative intern in Senator Cortez Masto’s office and interned with the Clark County District Attorney’s office. She is committed to public service and has volunteered with multiple non-profit organizations including the Salvation Army, Just One Project, and Boys and Girls Club of America. After graduating she hopes to continue her passion for public service while pursuing a masters in foreign affairs and a subsequent juris doctorate.
Samina Patel, Georgia Institute of Technology
Samina Patel, during her selection, was an undergraduate senior and Stamps President’s Scholar at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, where she majored in aerospace engineering with a minor in international affairs. Samina served on the School of Aerospace Engineering Student Advisory Council and as an AE Ambassador. In these positions, she promoted empathy, support, and engagement within the aerospace community. Additionally, Samina served in leadership roles in her university’s Society of Women Engineers and Astronomy Club. In the fall of 2022, she was awarded the Federal Jackets Fellowship and served on the Hill as a digital intern with the Office of U.S. Senator Gary Peters. It is Samina’s objective to combine her passion in aerospace with policy; in the future, she hopes to research and develop solutions to increase sustainability, inclusion, and equity within aerospace.
Tony Ruan, Yale University
Tony Ruan was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and is currently a legislative intern in the Office of Senator Mark Kelly. A proud graduate of Arizona public schools, Tony is an undergraduate student at Yale University studying political science, labor studies, and education studies.
On campus, Tony has served as a Co-President of the Yale Policy Institute and the Asian American Students Alliance and sits on advisory boards for both the Department of Political Science and the Education Studies Program. Having previously worked for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), various political campaigns, and organized voter registration drives, he is deeply passionate about public service and is incredibly appreciative of the Stennis Center and their support of congressional staff and interns. He is also deeply appreciative of the Office of Senator Mark Kelly and its gracious and accommodating staff.
2022 Public Service Fellows
Tanner DeYoung, Mississippi State University
Tanner DeYoung is a master’s student and Fulbright Scholar at Utrecht University, majoring in the history of politics and society. Driven by an ambition to be an agent for positive change, Tanner’s passion for public service has manifested through internships at the United States Helsinki Commission, the Mississippi Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of the Governor of Mississippi. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and minors in political science and chemistry. He served in the Mississippi State Student Association for all four of his undergraduate years, advocating for students to administrators and other student leaders. He is honored to be selected as a 2022 Public Service Fellow.
Jagaar Halverson, Grand Canyon University
Jagaar Halverson is a student at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, where he majors in government with an emphasis in state and local policy. He currently serves as the executive chief of staff at Grand Canyon University and previously served as a member of the Freshman Class Council and Assistant Senate Director of the Associated Students of Grand Canyon University. In the summer of 2022, Jagaar served on the Hill as a former congressional intern in the Office of U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra and as a participant in the Stennis Program for Congressional Interns. In the future, he hopes to pursue a career in public service.
Matthew Romanowski, Princeton University
Matt Romanowski recently graduated from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs. He received a master’s degree in public affairs with a concentration in international relations and a Science, Environmental and Technology Policy certificate. At Princeton University, he served as a graduate fellow at the Center for International Security Studies and as president of the Student Veterans Organization (SVO). As SVO president, Matt organized events that enabled student veterans to share their experiences with civilian classmates. Matt continues to serve as an active-duty Major in the U.S. Army and currently advises on Taiwan and Mongolia policy within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. He completed two combat tours in Afghanistan and multiple operational and training deployments in the Indo-Pacific.
2021 Public Service Fellows
Carl Lasker, Yale Law School
Carl Lasker was an incoming J.D. candidate during the time of his selection and a member of the Yale Law School class of 2024. He discovered his passion for public service through a Mitzvah project in seventh grade when he led elementary school kids from his local Boys and Girls Club in a lesson about Judaism and went door-to-door on weekends to raise over $2,000 for club activities. Carl previously served as a classroom assistant, tutor, and near-peer mentor in an under-resourced D.C. public school with City Year AmeriCorps. He wrote about his decision to serve in the Stennis Center for Public Service’s inaugural edition of Public Service Review. Before serving with City Year, Carl served as a legislative intern in the office of Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, a math and public health tutor for eighth graders in South Africa, and a classroom shadow for students with special needs in Northern Virginia. Carl graduated summa cum laude from the College of William & Mary in 2010 with a B.A. in public policy. He was honored to be chosen as a member of the Stennis Center’s Student Service Corps.
Anusha Natarajan, Arizona State University
At the time of her selection, Anusha Natarajan was a junior at Arizona State University where she studied sociology and history with a minor in Spanish and certificates in human rights and international studies. Driven by change and hard work, Anusha likes to be involved in her community domestically and internationally. She served as the civic-engagement coalition chair and an Andrew Goodman fellow at her university, advancing voter education. As the Director of Advocacy of her honors college council, Anusha worked extensively with the Deans to increase civic engagement and racial justice. She helped develop the first racial justice Task Force at the honors college, which brings together faculty, staff, and students to come up with solutions to improve diversity and inclusion on campus. Passionate for culture and education, Anusha helped create an education nonprofit called Culture Talk, which provides resources for teachers and schools to use to diversify their curriculum in social studies. In the future, Anusha wants to work for the Department of State in the Bureau of Human Rights, Democracy, and Labor.
