Harvard's Institute of Politics and City of Newton Announce Inaugural Setti Warren Memorial Internship

CAMBRIDGE, MA - The Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School and the City of Newton today jointly announced the formation of the Setti Warren Memorial Internship. The internship, funded by the IOP, will enable a current Harvard undergraduate to work collaboratively with the City of Newton’s Arts and Culture Department, as well as its Economic Development Department.

The student intern will support the City’s Building a Creative Economy initiative. They will analyze the current financial impact of the creative sector on Newton’s economy and identify additional steps that the City can take to build and support its creative sector and use arts and culture to drive economic development.

Setti Warren, the former Director of the Institute of Politics (2022-2025), and former Mayor of Newton (2010-2018), passed away suddenly in November of 2025. Warren was a fierce believer in the importance of public service and in the paramount ability of the government to be a force for good. Throughout his time working in the White House, his work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), his work with Senator John Kerry on behalf of the people of Massachusetts, his service of his country as a Naval Intelligence Officer in Iraq, his tenure as the Mayor of Newton, and his time spent working with and mentoring students at the Harvard Kennedy School, most recently as the Director of the IOP, he remained committed to the importance of listening, and to working across divides to make the world a better, more equitable, place for everyone regardless of their political beliefs.

Warren believed strongly in giving young people the opportunity to get involved in public service, saying during his race for mayor more than a decade ago, that he “encourage(s) all young people to get involved at any level, to make a difference in their community.”

Shortly after taking office, Warren formalized the City’s internship program, enabling more local students to learn about the inner workings of municipal government. The recruitment process targeted minority groups and high-risk/at-risk youth with a goal of placing students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) organizations. Students were also placed in city departments, local small businesses, and healthcare organizations. His administration also collaborated with his alma mater, Boston College, to support the growing program by pairing graduate student mentors with the high school interns, as well as supporting required weekly workshops focusing on resume writing, interviews, communication skills, financial literacy, and more. The program eventually grew to include more than 100 student interns.

“Among the joys of his tenure at Harvard, Setti loved nothing more than mentoring students. He cherished their energy and their ideas, and he worked tirelessly to support their interests and passions,” said IOP interim co-directors Beth Myers and Ned Price. “A native son of Newton, Setti was profoundly proud of his time as Mayor, and we couldn’t think of a more fitting tribute than enabling a Harvard undergraduate to help make a difference in the city that Setti so loved.”

“Setti Warren believed deeply in public service and in the power of young people to strengthen our communities. This internship honors his legacy in the most meaningful way—by opening doors for the next generation to learn, serve, and help shape Newton’s future. We are grateful to the Institute of Politics for partnering with us on this tribute to a leader who loved this city and never stopped investing in its people,” said Newton Mayor Marc C. Laredo.

“Setti benefited so much from the internships and mentoring he received from so many. He would be thrilled to see this opportunity created for the next generation in the city he loved so much,” said his wife, Tassy Warren.

Shortly after Warren’s passing, his friend and previous boss, former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said of watching him interact with students at the IOP who were pursuing careers in public service, “He could have been anywhere, but he chose to be with the next generation. And I hope that a big part of his legacy will be that he inspired a lot more Setti Warrens to carry on that tradition which our democracy needs so much right now.”

This internship will help build that future.

The internship will run from June 1 through August 15, 2026. Interested undergraduate students must submit their applications HERE by Sunday, February 1.

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Media Contacts:

Brigid O’Rourke
Director of Communications
Institute of Politics, Harvard Kennedy School
Brigid_ORourke@hks.harvard.edu
617-756-3625

Ellen Ishkanian
Director of Communications
City of Newton
eishkanian@newtonma.gov
781-439-0091