Kayla Venckauskas, JD candidate '19 is the fourth UMass Law student in four years to be awarded the prestigious fellowship.
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Summer internship at the Massachusetts State House
Kayla Venckauskas, JD candidate '19, has been selected as a 2018 Rappaport Fellow. The prestigious Rappaport Fellows Program in Law and Public Policy provides paid summer internships to promising law students interested in public service.
UMass Law’s fourth Rappaport Scholar in as many years, Kayla will intern at the Massachusetts State House this summer.
"I'll be working in Senator Montigny's office, focusing on public policy issues with a main concentration on animal rights," Kayla said. "I'll be involved in the process of creating and enacting legislation, and I'll join the Senator and his team during sessions and other legislative committee meetings."
Previous UMass Law Rappaport Fellows interned at the City of Boston's Office of Women's Advancement and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Commitment to the pursuit of justice
"Kayla's selection as a Rappaport Fellow is a testament to her deep talent, commitment, and dynamism, which indeed is emblematic of our student body as a whole,” Dean Eric Mitnick said.
“We have nurtured an environment where students embrace the pursuit of justice and aim to make a positive impact on the world. I look forward to seeing the path this experience sets for Kayla.”
An active presence on campus, Kayla is the president of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund and the incoming editor-in-chief of the UMass Law Review. The Public Interest Fellow and Academic Fellow also recently captained UMass Law's Walk to the Hill.
"UMass Law has a unique focus on public service and pursuing justice, which were two ideals that really spoke to me," Kayla said. "Knowing that I wanted to go into the public sector, UMass Law provided the perfect fit and its prestigious Public Interest Fellowship program has been an amazing opportunity for me to branch out and find my path in public service."