Recently we caught up with 2020 UConn School of Public Policy (SPP) Master of Public Policy (MPP) alum Steven (Stevie) Della-Giustina. While pursuing his MPP, Stevie held internships with the City of Hartford, Connecticut and the State of Connecticut – Office of the Governor. He was also a Community Leadership Corps Member for the Obama Foundation during his time as a SPP student.
A triple husky, Stevie is currently a 3L at UConn Law. Since starting law school he has completed internships with the City of Hartford, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection and the Connecticut State’s Attorney Office.
Learn more about what Stevie’s been up to below!
Since I was little I always wanted to become a lawyer and be of service to others. I grew up in a very service oriented household as both my parents are Veterans of the United States Army, and grew up with the first-hand knowledge of the hard work that folks put in to serve others. My parents made it a priority to have conversations around the dinner table about their service and how it plays a key role in our democratic system. My siblings and I were never allowed to complain about something without offering a solution to the complaint. My parents response was always some version of “So what are you going to do to get that solution accomplished?” Often, the solution could be accomplished through the democratic system. My parents often spoke of our responsibility to our community in advocating for our solutions through this system.
In light of this, when I went off to undergrad I began studying political science and got involved in civic activism focusing on registering young people to vote. Yet, I was often left with the question of how do government officials make policy choices and plans to enact the solutions to the problems their communities face? While, I had originally planned to go straight from undergrad to law school at the back of my head I knew that I still needed to answer those questions. So, I decided to follow that curiosity and get my Master of Public Policy degree from UConn’s School of Public Policy (SPP).
My experience at SPP was fantastic. My course work often looked at how government officials set priorities, how they work to implement these policies in an equitable manner and how they measure to ensure that these policies are working. Part of this experience was completing my Internship and Professional Practice (IPP) at Hartford City Hall, for the City of Hartford’s Office of Management, Budget & Grants. During, this experience I learned how municipalities set their priorities and values through the budgeting process. This allowed me to see how public policy is instituted on the local level, from municipal administration.
I started law school in the Fall of 2020 and since then I have been able to fuse my knowledge of public policy with the law. This has included continuing my work with the City of Hartford part-time, so that I can maintain my quantitative and analytical skills while in law school. Last Summer I interned with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, where I was able to see the interconnection of the law and policy, as it regulated high risk industries in Connecticut. Furthermore, this Summer I was a certified legal intern in the Connecticut State’s Attorney Office in Hartford. I was able to see the interrelation of the laws and policies set forth in Connecticut governing the Connecticut criminal justice system.