Princeton University’s prestigious Scholars in the Nation’s Service Initiative (SINSI) has selected three graduate students to serve as fellows and seven undergraduates to serve as interns for 2026.

SINSI fellows complete a two-year Master in Public Affairs with a full scholarship for tuition and living expenses at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, where the initiative is housed, and a fellowship with two years of paid work in a government organization. SINSI interns receive support to complete 10-week summer internships. While traditionally focused on the federal government, SINSI also places students in multinational, state, and local governments.

“I am thrilled with the 2026 SINSI scholar and intern class,” said Gregory Jaczko, director of the program. “Despite changes in the federal government, I am encouraged that so many students continue to see the value in public service. Our scholars and interns bring unique academic and experiential backgrounds. I am excited to work with each of them to see how they can continue to fulfill SINSI’s and Princeton’s mission to work for the public interest. I know these students will contribute significantly to government agencies and become valued members of the SINSI community.”

Established in 2006, SINSI encourages, supports, and prepares high-achieving students to pursue careers in government, in both international and domestic agencies. The initiative aims to provide the professional skills and direct experience needed to succeed in the public policy arena. SINSIs have served in more 40 government agencies and departments, where they benefit from real-world experiences and practical applications.

This year’s three fellows were chosen from among 16 applicants across Princeton, while 35 students applied for the SINSI internship.

The 2026 SINSIs are listed below; for fuller descriptions, see here for the graduate fellows and here for the undergraduate interns.

2026 SINSI Fellows

• Kyle Gschwend ’26, MPA ’30. Hometown: Windham, New Hampshire. Major: civil and environmental engineering. Minors: sustainable energy and urban studies.
• Olivia Sanchez ’26. Hometown: Haddon Township, New Jersey. Major: public and international affairs. Minor: Latin American studies.
• Olin Zimmet ’26, MPA ’30. Hometown: Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Major: politics. Minor: philosophy.

2026 SINSI Interns

• Danielle Simone Acosta ’27. Hometown: LaGrange, Georgia. Major: public and international affairs. Minors: Spanish, gender and sexuality studies, and values and public life.
• Madeline Denker ’26. Hometown: Lower Merion, Pennsylvania. Major: public and international affairs. Minors: urban studies and history.
• Mateo Guarin ’27. Hometown: Toms River, New Jersey. Major: public and international affairs. Minor: Latino studies.
• Abraham Jacobs ’26. Hometown: Lemoore, California. Major: politics. Minor: values and public life.
• Justin Tam ’27. Hometown: Edison, New Jersey. Major: chemistry. Minors: sustainable energy, environmental studies, and materials science and engineering.
• Lawson Wright ’27. Hometown: New York, New York. Major: politics. Minor: history and computer science.
• Kyler Zhou ’27. Hometown: Hopewell, New Jersey. Major: public and international affairs. Minors: in philosophy, computing, society and policy, and values and public life.

Clockwise from top left: Kyle Gschwend ’26, MPA ’30; Olivia Sanchez ’26; Olin Zimmet ’26, MPA ’30; Danielle Simone Acosta ’27; Madeline Denker ’26; Mateo Guarin ’27; Abraham Jacobs ’26; Justin Tam ’27; Lawson Wright ’27; Kyler Zhou ’27