Capstones

The capstone projects in the YIP Fellowship represent the culmination of an intensive eight-week program, embodying the essence of inquiry-driven learning. These projects, crafted by fellows at the program's conclusion, are a testament to their intellectual growth and understanding of complex policy issues. Each capstone is a unique reflection of the skills and insights gained, demonstrating a synthesis of research, analysis, and innovative thinking. Serving as both a personal and academic milestone, these capstones highlight the fellows' readiness to engage with real-world challenges, marking a significant step in their journey as emerging policy leaders.

See Capstones

Capstones may reflect individual viewpoints and do not represent YIP's nonpartisan stance.

All Fellowship Capstones

Revitalizing Brownfields: Local Policy Solutions for Sustainable Urban Redevelopment

Capstones Fall 2025

Yu-Cheng Liang

Brownfields—abandoned or underused industrial areas affected by pollution—remain a challenge for sustainable development in the United States. While federal programs like CERCLA and the EPA’s Brownfields Program have helped address contamination, many sites are still left behind because of high cleanup costs, liability issues, and complicated regulations. This policy brief explores why brownfields continue to persist and what can be done at the local level to fix the problem.

Restoring Italy: the Immigration Crisis and Ineffective Systems

Capstones Fall 2025

Yasmine Santini

Immigration is prevalent all over the world: regardless of location, it has been a persistent catalyst for discourse. Pertaining to Italy, immigration from neighboring countries has risen in recent years, simultaneously exacerbated by fruitless policies.

Detention and Family Separation in San Diego County: Addressing the Human Cost of Immigration Policy

Capstones Fall 2025

Xiadani Ruiz

The separation of a family continues to be understood as one of the most pressing humanitarian challenges for individuals living in the United States, and more specifically for families in San Diego County, California where the pernicious trauma of separation continues for thousands of immigrant families due to immigration detention, poor reunification processes, and lack of access to legal and social services. While there are legislative programs that exist in California to assist families, such as the Reuniting Immigrant Families Act (SB 1064), there remain gaps in coordination and enforcement, and families continue to experience the humanitarian crisis of separation.

California’s Contributions: Equity in Education

Capstones Fall 2025

Vyan Kumar

In this brief, I analyze inequity in the American education system and its impact on underserved students in both low-income and affluent communities. I examine California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) as a policy response and evaluate its effectiveness as a potential national model.

Increasing Mental Health Support in Washington State Schools

Capstones Fall 2025

Vivaan Bansal

This brief explains the problem of mental health support in Washington State schools and why students are struggling to get the help they need. It addresses who is affected by this issue, what has been tried already, and why current systems are not working. This brief covers the history of school counseling in Washington, the different people involved in trying to fix this problem, and what policy options the state could use to make things better.

The Intersection Between Food Waste & Insecurity

Capstones Fall 2025

Tanisha Furtado

Throughout the hearts of Texas, Louisiana, and Arizona, the hunger crisis has rampaged cities, and clung on to the lifelines that hold up the societal framework of small towns. Paralleling the devastations of the over 18 million households living in hunger, almost a half of the food supply in the United States goes to waste annually. This brief will touch on the intersection at which hunger and food waste meet, and how reducing waste can have positive implications for families experiencing hunger, nationwide.

Preventing Drugs and Substance Abuse in Youth

Capstones Fall 2025

Sohum Shah

This policy brief is about preventing drugs and substance abuse in teens. It talks about why kids start using drugs, like peer pressure, stress, or family issues, and explains how schools, families, and communities can help stop it. The brief looks at programs that teach kids about drugs, give support through counseling, and involve families and mentors. The goal is to help teens make better choices, stay healthy, and avoid long-term problems.

The National Teacher Retention Crisis

Capstones Fall 2025

Rudra Patel

This brief examines the root causes of the U.S. Teacher Retention Crisis, analyzing its impacts and possible policy solutions.

Economic Prosperity Through Global Relations

Capstones Fall 2025

Riyan Golden

The economic power of the United States of America is well correlated to its bipartisan formulation and execution of policies concerned with trade and those related to immigration and employment. There is an added complication in trade and immigration policies. Inconsistencies in trade and immigration policies can cause confusion to workers and employers as well as to foreign nations.

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All Fellowship Capstones

Revitalizing Brownfields: Local Policy Solutions for Sustainable Urban Redevelopment

Restoring Italy: the Immigration Crisis and Ineffective Systems

Detention and Family Separation in San Diego County: Addressing the Human Cost of Immigration Policy

California’s Contributions: Equity in Education

Increasing Mental Health Support in Washington State Schools

The Intersection Between Food Waste & Insecurity

Preventing Drugs and Substance Abuse in Youth

The National Teacher Retention Crisis

Economic Prosperity Through Global Relations