Rappaport Fellowship Updates and Fenway Fun!

By: Laura Rodriguez Alfonso, 2023 Rappaport Fellow

The Rappaport Fellows enjoyed some summer fun this week with dinner at Sweet Cheeks, followed by a Red Sox game at Fenway. While waiting for our BBQ to arrive, each Fellow spoke about her/his/their internship experience thus far. 

Zackary Colclasure started the conversation by discussing his experience at the Suffolk County DA’s office in the Crime Strategy Bureau. Only a few weeks into his internship, Zack is already writing legislation recommendations and sitting in on court cases.

Sadie Keller continued the conversation with equally impressive experiences. Sadie is in the Fair Labor Division at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. Currently, Sadie is in full swing working on a case involving Uber and Lyft drivers. 

Joe Thibodeau filled us in on his duties at the Legal Counsel’s Office of Governor Maura Healey. Joe is the first legal intern in the new administration’s Legal Counsel’s Office and is leading the way for future Fellows. 

Isabel Hasselbalch continued the conversation by sharing her experience at the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) in the Youth Advocacy Division (YAD), where she participates in evaluating children’s competency to stand trial. 

Ally Crays is currently interning in the Office of State Senator Jo Comerford, where she has been working on memos and research assignments. Ally is also taking part in an initiative to establish community college. 

Linda McClellan has been spending her summer interning in the Policy and Cabinet Affairs Division of the Office of Governor Maura Healey, where she has been busy at work looking at regulations, grants, and legislative reports. 

Miranda Popkey has likewise been busy with her summer internship at the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS). Miranda has been conducting research connected to CPCS legislative priorities.

Bhumika Choudhary also shared their experience this summer at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office in the White Collar and Public Integrity Division within the Criminal Bureau. Bhumika has been busy researching the statute of limitation for certain crimes and attending witness preparations and interviews. 

What about the author of this blog post? I have been interning at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), working on education misconduct matters, special education research, and memos on education-related issues.

After our delicious dinner and interesting conversation, we headed to Fenway Park for a ballgame. It was the first time being in Fenway for a few of the Fellows. Although the Red Sox lost the game, the Fellows had a great experience being together.

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Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy

The Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy at Boston College Law School galvanizes the region’s policy makers and thought leaders to engage in dynamic discussions on critical public policy issues through the Rappaport Distinguished Public Policy Series. The discussions include forums, conferences, and symposia to address societal issues with leaders from government, business, academe, and the nonprofit world. To inspire future public policy leaders, the Rappaport Center also runs the Rappaport Fellows Program which provides funded summer internships for 12 exceptional law students from Boston College Law School, Boston University School of Law, Harvard University Law School, Northeastern University School of Law, Suffolk University Law School, New England School of Law, the University of Massachusetts School of Law, and Western New England University School of Law. These law students are offered opportunities to experience the complexities and rewards of public policy work and public service at the highest levels of state and local government. The program includes coveted summer internships, during which students work with top policy makers; mentorship by the Center’s staff, civic leaders, and respected attorneys; and educational programming. The Rappaport Center is led by Faculty Director R. Michael Cassidy and Executive Director Elisabeth J. Medvedow. An Advisory Board, chaired by former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger, helps guide its work. The Center works in collaboration with the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston at Harvard University. The Rappaport Center was established at Boston College Law School in 2015 with a gift from the Phyllis & Jerome Lyle Rappaport Foundation.

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