Mandate

YiPPiE! (Yale Incentive Program for Public Interest Employment) is a student organization at Yale Law School. As our name suggests, we aim to encourage YLS students to take on public interest employment during one or both summers. Each year, we raise money to provide an additional stipend for students working at low-paying jobs in the public interest, to make it more affordable for students to choose public interest employment. YLS itself generously matches our fundraising efforts dollar for dollar. Last year, we disbursed close to $1,000 to each of over a hundred students working in public interest jobs all over the country and all over the world, from Boston to Bangkok.

Our approach is simple: We raise money by hosting great events that, in addition to serving a worthy cause, also help to bring the YLS community together for some much needed fun and distraction!

Leadership

The 2006-2007 YiPPiE! Co-Chairs are Adam Banks, Alexander Howe Berlin, and Thom Ringer, of the class of 2008. Matthew McKenzie organized the 2006 Court Classic Basketball Game against Harvard Law School.

They are ably assisted by legions of dedicated 1L and 2L volunteers.

Our Chairs emeriti include Adam Lioz, Darsana Srinivasan, Tianna Terry, Nick Caton, and Dave Wilkinson.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the YiPPiE! stipend supplement, you must:

(1) be a 1L or 2L student at Yale Law School

(2) qualify for a Summer Public Interest Fellowship (SPIF) (a memorandum (in .DOC format) from the Financial Aid Office concerning SPIF eligibility is available here.)

(3) make a substantial contribution to at least one YiPPiE! fundraising event. 3-5 hours of work on a particular event is typical, though many students contribute far more than this.

If you satisfy these requirements, the YiPPiE stipend will be added directly and automatically to your SPIF grant, subject to whatever payment and withholding policies accompany SPIF.

Please note that YiPPiE! does not and cannot independently evaluate your eligibility for SPIF, which is administered by the YLS Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office is also responsible for disbursing the stipend to individual students. Accordingly, participation in YiPPiE! does not by itself guarantee receipt of or eligibility for the stipend. Questions about eligible forms of employment and payment should be directed to the Financial Aid Office.