UAlbany Summer: Emergency Management Major Lands Spot in Elite Public Policy Institute

By Mike Nolan

ALBANY, N.Y. (July 27, 2026) — University at Albany senior Dylan Repertorio has spent his summer in one of the nation's most competitive public service launchpads.

Repertorio, an Emergency Management and Homeland Security major with a minor in political science, was selected for the Public Policy and International Affairs Junior Summer Institute (PPIA) — one of just 18 students chosen nationwide from more than 700 applicants.

Since 1980, the institute has prepared students for graduate school and careers in government, nonprofits, public policy and international organizations. The seven-week, fully funded program was hosted this year at Harvard, Princeton and the University of Michigan, offering graduate-level training in microeconomics, statistics, policy writing and applied policy work.

Repertorio completed the Michigan program, which ran from June 7 through July 25.

"My goals have been focused on getting here this summer,” said Repertorio. "I knew it would be good for me to blend my classroom knowledge with my real-world work experience. While I've interned throughout my college career, this offered a more unique policy-oriented environment. I was thrilled to be accepted."

Bridging the Field Work, Policy Gap

Repertorio transferred to UAlbany last fall to pursue interests in human security and humanitarian response through the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC).

That focus traces back to a freshman-year internship with the Kolya Project, a nonprofit resettling Ukrainian war refugees. Since then, Repertorio has volunteered with Nova Ukraine, which delivers humanitarian aid, medical supplies and services to Ukrainian communities, and tutored Ukrainians in English. 

He first learned about the institute from a friend at his former institution, Cleveland State, and spent the last two years balancing full-time work, internships and coursework to build a competitive application.

"I want to work at the intersection of field work and policy in humanitarian response, doing hands-on work, and then bringing that experience back to help shape decisions," said Repertorio. "That's part of what drew me to the Junior Summer Institute. It was a chance to build the kind of policy and analytical skills that help make sure what's happening on the ground is actually part of the broader conversation."

A Future in Humanitarian Work

As part of the institute, Repertorio traveled to Washington, D.C. for the PPIA’s Future Leaders Expo, where consortium schools, including UAlbany's Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy, showcase graduate programs and public service career paths. His cohort also made policy-focused visits to South Haven and Detroit, Michigan.

Selection to the institution also came with a summer stipend, funded coursework, free books and housing, and personalized career coaching. Fellows join a network of more than 5,500 alumni and gain lifelong access to the Future Leaders Expo.

Repertorio credits UAlbany's Advanced Threat and Hazard Assessment course, taught by Professor Gary Ackerman, with preparing him for the institute's demands. He’s also worked alongside Associate Professor Stephen Coulthart in the Open Source Intelligence Lab, and closely with Visiting Assistant Professor Adam Bouloukos and Adjunct Lecturer Adam Sutkus.

"The one thing I really love about CEHC is how helpful everyone is," Repertorio said. "I came in with a list of ideas, and even though my interests are a little more niche, they saw how everything connects and helped me make it work. Even though I've only been on campus for a year, I already met so many great people. It's been really encouraging."

Up next, Repertorio will spend a semester abroad at Charles University in the Czech Republic, then a final semester in Washington, D.C. through UAlbany's Semester in Washington program. 

After graduation, he hopes to continue working abroad, potentially in Ukraine, at the intersection of humanitarian response and public policy.