Allie Ruiz | Silliman ‘28
“I absolutely loved being in FOCUS! It was a great opportunity to meet my fellow first years while also feeling like I had a direct, positive impact on the community that I live in day in and day out. FOCUS made me want to get EVEN MORE involved in supporting New Haven once the school year began.”
Ashley Cortes ‘28 | FOCUS participant and leader
FOCUS has genuinely shaped so much of my Yale experience. I first joined as a first-year participant, and it gave me such an important entry point into New Haven at a time when Yale still felt really new and overwhelming. Through FOCUS, I met so many people who are still really close friends to me, got to know the city beyond campus, and was introduced to organizations and community spaces that I continue to work with today. It also helped me understand the role Dwight Hall plays at Yale, not just as a place for service, but as a space that helps students think more intentionally about community, responsibility, and what it means to be connected to New Haven. Getting to return as a leader last year and again this year has been really special because I get to help other first-years have that same kind of grounding experience and see New Haven as part of their Yale home.
John Robert Walker | Former FOCUS Director
FOCUS immediately got me off campus and out into the city we call home. Small moments from the program like my first ride on a CTtransit bus or my introduction to the Long Wharf Food Trucks quickly compounded into a real sense of belonging in New Haven and a serious commitment to strengthening town-gown relations. Returning the following year as a Student Director, it was magical to witness a new class of students find that same spark in just a matter of days.
Yoselin Colin | Berkeley ‘27
“As someone passionate about social justice and community service, FOCUS provided me with a unique lens through which I could effectively contribute to and engage with the local community of New Haven as a Yale student. I also gained a tight-knit community, rooted in connection, collaboration, and compassion, allowing me to build lasting memories and friendships!”
Juan Borrego | Silliman ‘26
“FOCUS put things so many things into perspective for me. We have the privilege of not only learning and growing alongside fellow Yale students but also the greater New Haven community as well.”
Jackie Knobelsdorf | Pauli Murray ‘21
“I don’t know what my Yale experience would be like if I didn’t do FOCUS. I met a lot of my best friends from the program, and a lot of my friends from my small group that worked at LEAP get brunch every Sunday. They’re even my phone background. ”
