Keerthi (Kiki) Yalamanchili was with us as an undergraduate fellow from Northwestern University from January to March 2020.

What project work were you involved in during your time at Civic Consulting Alliance?

I worked on a project with the State’s Attorney’s Office regarding low-level possession cases.

What will you take away from your time at Civic Consulting Alliance?

I loved my time at Civic Consulting Alliance, and it’s been a great start to my career! One key lesson I learned is that concise, intentional communication is critical to success – whether that’s in the context of a Power Point slide, or while speaking in a meeting.

What was your most memorable experience during your time at Civic Consulting Alliance?

On my second day, Civic Consulting Alliance’s staff meeting was devoted to a Secret Santa exchange! It helped me get a feel for the organization’s supportive culture, and encouraged me to ask staff to go on informal professional development “coffees.”

How has your time at Civic Consulting Alliance helped you develop professionally?

My time at Civic Consulting Alliance helped me feel more confident about expressing my thoughts and ideas. That’s been empowering, and I’m truly grateful to Civic Consulting Alliance for giving me the space to grow this self-assurance.

In partnership with Northwestern University, we provide a semester-long Undergraduate Fellowship. We periodically work with other undergraduate institutions on shorter internship opportunities. Please visit our Fellowships page to learn more about our range of fellowship opportunities.