PBPL Voice Profiles: Camille Valentincic ’22

By Panop (Nop) Phongpetra ’23

Editor-in-Chief

Camille Valentincic '22 Headshot

Camille Valentincic ’22. a Public Policy & Law senior. Photo courtesy of Camille Valentincic.

For our next Public Policy & Law (PBPL) Voice Profiles, meet Camille Valentincic! Camille is a senior currently double-majoring in Public Policy & Law (with concentrations in Education and Urban Policy) and French. Below, read our meaningful conversation with Camille as she reflects back on her experience being a PBPL major!

  • What sparked your interest in Public Policy & Law?
    • I took AP Government in high school and that really solidified my interest in law and government. I initially thought I’d be a Political Science major, however after one of my friends brought me along to a Public Policy networking event my freshman fall, I was inspired by all the different careers alumni had, so I signed up for 201 that spring. I’ve been hooked ever since and every class I’ve taken in the department has been so engaging, interesting, and insightful.
  • What has been the most memorable class you have taken in the Public Policy & Law department?
    • Although I’ve never taken a PBPL class I didn’t enjoy, one of my favorites was Professor Fulco’s Title IX class. Looking back even to middle school, I’ve always had an interest in education policy. This was the first course I had taken that specifically covered this area of the law and I was drawn in immediately. As college students ourselves, education policy is particularly salient, especially in the Title IX context. Not only did we study Title IX policy on the national scale, but we also evaluated Trinity’s own guidelines. It was very interesting to learn about these policies and then see how they played out in my life. I found this subject matter so interesting that I decided to write my senior thesis on transgender student protections under Title IX.
  • How was your internship experience? How were you able to relate academic work with your internship experience? Were there any specific courses in the Public Policy & Law department that helped prepare you for the internship?
    • I worked at the Insurance Association of Connecticut (IAC), a lobbying group based here in Hartford, in the spring of 2021 as a Government Relations intern. It was a great experience as I was exposed to alternate careers for people with law or policy degrees and I was also able to observe the policymaking process in real life. I found that my experience writing policy memos and briefs for class was particularly useful since I had to write recaps of committee hearings and memos summarizing the pertinent legislative developments each week.
    • I also worked with Professor Falk last summer to research Old-New Gate Prison, the oldest state prison (now museum) in the country. This experience greatly developed my research skills as I was able to study a niche topic for an extended period of time. I greatly enjoyed diving into my research instead of being constrained by a course syllabus. It was an awesome experience, and I was able to add new findings to the literature surrounding the early Connecticut justice system, as well as work with a great group of dedicated professors, students, and community members.
  • What are some suggestions and words of counsel for students interested in majoring in Public Policy & Law?
    • People often ask me what the difference is between Public Policy and Political Science. My short answer is that Pub Pol is more solution orientated, while Poli Sci is more theoretical (at least from the experience I’ve had with the major). I’m a problem solver and I like that Public Policy focuses precisely on that. I also think it’s a great major for students with a lot of interests. Like I said, I’ve always had an interest in education policy and I also love history; the major encapsulates all of these, along with endless other areas of law and society. Policy truly affects every aspect of our daily lives, and for this reason I think it’s a great option for anyone who wants to develop their critical thinking and writing skills in a high applicable and relevant area of study.
  • What are your plans for the next five years? How do you think your internship experience prepared you for your future career?
    • In a few short weeks, I’m starting a full-time position as a Legal Practice Assistant at Skadden LLP in Manhattan. As of right now, I intend to work there for a couple of years to gain some experience and exposure to the legal world before applying to law school. Though I’m fairly certain I want to continue my legal studies, I’m not 100% set on anything and I’m open to whatever opportunities come along! I think our Public Policy program is fabulous in that sense as I know it’s prepared me for jobs across the board and not just in the legal sector.

To view other PBPL Voice Profiles, click here.

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Congratulations to PBPL Major Erin DeMarco ’23, Published Author of Op-Ed

By Panop (Nop) Phongpetra ’23

Editor-in-Chief

The Public Policy and Law Department is very proud of Erin DeMarco ’23, a junior Public Policy and Law major whose op-ed was published in the Connecticut Mirror‘s Viewpoints!

For the Public Policy and Law Internship (PBPL-398) course, students are required to submit written academic assignments that are related to the internship placement and the students’ area of concentration in the major. One component is an op-ed piece on a policy issue or question that is related to the work of the organization.

You can read Erin’s op-ed below or here. Congratulations again, Erin!

Current mental health proposals fail to boost vital community services

To view other published op-ed pieces by students in the department, click here.

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Congratulations to PBPL Major Emily Blanchard ’22, Published Author of Op-Ed

By Panop (Nop) Phongpetra ’23

Editor-in-Chief

The Public Policy and Law Department is very proud of Emily Blanchard ’22, a senior Public Policy and Law major whose op-ed was published in the Connecticut Mirror‘s Viewpoints!

For the Public Policy and Law Internship (PBPL-398) course, students are required to submit written academic assignments that are related to the internship placement and the students’ area of concentration in the major. One component is an op-ed piece on a policy issue or question that is related to the work of the organization.

You can read Emily’s op-ed below or here. Congratulations again, Emily!

The rise in youth overdose fatalities calls for antidote in all schools

To view other published op-ed pieces by students in the department, click here.

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PBPL Voice Profiles: Charlie Kilborn ’22

By Panop (Nop) Phongpetra ’23

Editor-in-Chief

Charlie Kilborn (2022)

Charlie Kilborn ’22, a Public Policy & Law senior. Photo courtesy of Charlie Kilborn.

For our next Public Policy & Law (PBPL) Voice Profiles, meet Charlie Kilborn! Charlie is a senior currently majoring in Public Policy & Law with a concentration in Policy Analysis. Below, read our meaningful conversation with Charlie as he reflects back on his experience being a PBPL major!

  • What sparked your interest in Public Policy & Law?
    • I first became interested in the public policy major when taking PBPL 201 with Professor Moskowitz. I thought the assignments were engaging and had many real-world implications. I loved the interdisciplinary aspect of the major not only with the courses that can count towards the major, but the ability in many courses to focus on policy issues I’m most passionate about. As a Policy Analysis concentration, I’ve been exposed to a wide variety of statistics, math, and economics courses which have supplemented the core PBPL major requirements which are reading, writing, and research intensive.
  • What has been the most memorable class you have taken in the Public Policy & Law department?
    • My most memorable course was “Public Management” with Professor Sean Fitzpatrick in the graduate program. I love Professors Fitzpatrick opening each course with a current events discussion and relating the topic to what we had been discussing in his lectures. Further, I think my writing significantly improved from his weekly short essay assignments.
  • How was your internship experience? How were you able to relate academic work with your internship experience? Were there any specific courses in the Public Policy & Law department that helped prepare you for the internship?
    • This past summer I interned at the Nashville-based Private Equity firm CapitalSpring which was founded by Trinity Public Policy Alum, Richard Fitzgerald. I was actively involved with a variety of projects over the course of the ~3 month internship ranging from industry research, due diligence, financial modeling/analysis, and preparation of the investment committee memos for most of the investments that went to committee over the summer. Research Methods, statistics, and many of the research-oriented PBPL courses and assignments helped give me a strong foundation for my day-to-day work.
  • What are some suggestions and words of counsel for students interested in majoring in Public Policy & Law?
    • Start reading the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, or other news publications of your chose. Staying up to date with currents events is essential part of the major and can help give essay topic ideas for future assignments. Editor’s NoteVisit Trinity College Library News and Events site (here) to see how to receive subscriptions from NYT and WSJ provided by Trinity College.
  • What are your plans for the next five years? How do you think your internship experience prepared you for your future career?
    • Starting after graduation I will be doing a ~2-year~ Financial Advisory training program at Merrill Lynch Bank of America Chicago. The skills I’ve gotten from my public policy courses (Public speaking, research, writing, data analysis) will definitely help me as I start my career!
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Trinity Pre-Law Society Sponsors Panel – Women in Law: A Conversation with Trinity Alumni

By Kat Namon ’22, Erin DeMarco ’23, Lauren McRae ’22, & Panop (Nop) Phongpetra ’23

Women in Law: A Conversation with Trinity Alumni was a panel with the Program’s own Kat Namon ’22, and Erin DeMarco ’23 and Political Science major Lauren McRae ’22 on behalf of the Trinity College Pre-Law Society. Held on April 19, 2022 on Zoom, the conversation included a discussion of the panelists’ law school experiences and careers as practicing female attorneys. The panel included three Public Policy & Law alumni: Youlan Xiu ’15, Law Clerk at Latham & Watkins in New York; Christina Claxton ’16, Associate at Sidley Austin LLP in Dallas, Texas; and Antonia Lluberes ’16, Law Clerk at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Xiu, Claxton, and Lluberes were also joined by: Michaela Powers ’16, Associate at Ropes & Gray LLP in Boston, Massachusetts; Lesley Johannsen ’05, Senior Court Attorney at Kings County Family Court in Brooklyn, New York; and Amy Horowitz, former Visiting Assistant Professor for the Public Policy & Law department and Attorney at the Law Offices of Amy J. Horowitz in West Hartford, Connecticut.

The full recording of the event is available to the public here. Below is a brief interview with the panel’s hosts!

  • What was the main purpose of the panel?
    • The main purpose of the panel was to provide students across all majors with a sense of what it is like to work in the legal profession as a woman, as law has historically been a male-dominated field. We wanted viewers to see that there are successful, exemplary women who came from Trinity and are successfully pursuing this line of work. Following the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, it felt rather timely to hold this panel, as representation in the United States is headed in a positive direction. As students are embarking on their own academic journeys and considering different potential career paths, we wanted to ensure they knew that women have a place in all areas of the law, and our Bantam network was the perfect place to look for examples to follow. We focused on questions that ranged from panelists’ experiences in law school, the gap years they took before attending, their experiences in the workplace, and asked them for broader advice as well. ~ Kat Namon ’22
  • What was most memorable for you from your conversation?
    • One of the most memorable parts of the panel for me was a response by Youlan Xiu to a question posed by one of our participants. The question revolved around what advice the panelists would give to first-generation students and students of color who want to make it as a lawyer. Youlan’s answered involved 3 principles: preparation, determination and confidence. To make it in the legal industry, one has to do the work. Though it will be difficult, though it will be exhausting, though it will be tedious and sometime boring, by ensuring that you are prepared come time for your career to begin, students of color and first-generation students can stand confidently amongst their peers regardless of their background. Youlan compared one’s career in this industry to a race. She maintained that if one has done the work to prepare themselves, then by the time the gun goes off and it is time to start running, you will have just as much of a chance as anyone else to succeed. It is up to you to stay confident in your preparation and not let doubt hold you back. This was likely one of the most memorable exchanges that I have had with a member of this profession and her advice will stay with me as I move forward with my life after Trinity. She may not know it now, but I can say with strong conviction that Youlan Xiu has changed the way I view the legal profession and my outlook on life. I am incredibly grateful to her for that. ~ Lauren McRae ’22
  • What is something you hope listeners can take away?
    • I hope listeners realize that the law profession is not solely reserved for men and that there is a place for women in any type of law. When designing the questions, we tried to think of questions that would specifically highlight the female experiences in law school and in the workplace. I hope that this event not only was informative and eye-opening, but that it was also inspiring and motivating. I wish that anyone who watches this discussion becomes inspired to create and follow their own desired paths and to not feel pressured to do (or not do) something. There is no wrong decision, and the path one takes after Trinity is certainly not linear. However, we all have the ability to have faith in ourselves. All of the panelists had different journeys after graduating from Trinity and experienced a variety of struggles and achievements, but the common denominator amongst them all is that they followed their dreams and have established themselves as highly reputable attorneys. My ultimate desire is that anyone who watches this discussion sees themselves in one of the panelists and becomes encouraged to also follow their dreams. ~ Erin DeMarco ’23
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Congratulations to PBPL Major Marisol Garcia ’22, Published Author of Op-Ed

By Panop (Nop) Phongpetra ’23

Editor-in-Chief

The Public Policy and Law Department is very proud of Marisol Garcia ’22, a senior Public Policy and Law major whose op-ed was published in the Connecticut Mirror‘s Viewpoints!

For the Public Policy and Law Internship (PBPL-398) course, students are required to submit written academic assignments that are related to the internship placement and the students’ area of concentration in the major. One component is an op-ed piece on a policy issue or question that is related to the work of the organization.

Reflecting on her work, Marisol said, “as a formerly-incarcerated woman who provided hospice care in the prison, I struggled with receiving letters from my friend who is still there with stories of her sub-par treatment. Regardless of the crime, no human being should suffer poor treatment in the senior portion in life. Given my freedom, I made it my mission to pursue policy changes for both criminal justice and healthcare for formerly incarcerated individuals.”

You can read Marisol’s op-ed below or here. Congratulations again, Marisol!

Connecticut cannot afford costly carceral health disparities

To view other published op-ed pieces by students in the department, click here.

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