Elm & Ivy

Dan Renzetti

The Yale Alumni Magazine publishes a short interview with President Maurie McInnis ’96PhD (shown here with New Haven mayor Justin Elicker ’10MEM, ’10MBA, in March) in every issue. In this one, the president discusses New Haven with editor Pippa Jack. View full image

Yale and New Haven have been growing together since the university moved here in 1716. Can you shed some light on that historic relationship, and tell us how New Haven has changed since you were a student?
When I came to New Haven in the fall of 1989, Yale was on the precipice of renewing our relationship with our home city. The next year, in 1990, our university committed to an annual voluntary payment to New Haven. The following decades saw an outpouring of other partnerships: Yale established an Office of New Haven and State Affairs, the President’s Public Service Fellowship, and New Haven Promise. It all marked a recommitment to Yale and New Haven’s mutual flourishing. And it reaffirmed something that’s been true since 1716. Yale wouldn’t be Yale without New Haven, and New Haven wouldn’t be New Haven without Yale. 
 
Yale is already New Haven’s largest employer and real-estate taxpayer. Why increase voluntary payments at a time when Yale is facing its own financial headwinds from the new endowment tax?
Yes, some alumni might have seen the announcement from March that Yale is increasing our voluntary payment to New Haven by $5 million annually through 2033. (See page 16.) It’s true that we raised our contribution even as we’re facing a raised endowment tax. But as I said in my remarks announcing the agreement, uncertainty is actually a prerequisite for committing to our community. It signals that, even though we don’t know what will come, we know that we want to go through it together. I think this agreement also exemplifies how Yale is balancing breakthrough research, rigorous teaching, employee success, the vitality of our campus, and the prosperity of our community.
 
How have Yale and New Haven intertwined in economic and cultural ways? 
Earlier, I mentioned two programs. The President’s Public Service Fellowship has funded more than 1,000 fellows who’ve completed over 400,000 hours of community service here in New Haven. And New Haven Promise helps pay for the college education of New Haven public school graduates. At the end of this academic year, this program will have provided almost $43 million in scholarships. Last year, we built on these initiatives by partnering with New Haven Promise, New Haven Public Schools, and Southern Connecticut State University to start a fully funded teaching fellowship. We’re investing $10 million to place up to 100 teachers with master’s degrees in New Haven public schools over the next four years. Now, we’re looking to work on other priority areas, like improving food security and building affordable housing. And all the while, Yale is creating jobs, bringing visitors to town, providing clinical care, and hosting free public events like lectures and concerts.

What is Yale doing to help Connecticut residents prepare for the jobs of the future? 
Yale helps Connecticut residents afford college through tuition benefits for dependents of our employees, our sponsorship of New Haven Promise, and the scholarships we provide to our students.

We also help create new industries that seek new employees, like quantum. For the November/December 2025 issue, I told you about QuantumCT, which is a public-private partnership being led by Yale and the University of Connecticut. Its big goal is helping prominent industries in Connecticut, such as advanced manufacturing and pharmaceuticals, compete in global markets by adopting quantum technologies. That will spur demand for jobs at all different skill levels.

Yale Planetary Solutions is opening job opportunities, too. To power the Upper Science Hill Development, we’re investing in lots of geothermal infrastructure, which requires lots of skilled workers. So, we’re exploring partnerships with the Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy to establish an apprenticeship pipeline. And the research we’re conducting, of course, leads to job creation. Yale Ventures helps students and faculty members turn their scholarship into entrepreneurship. Since 2022, it has facilitated more than 2,400 patents and 200 spinout businesses. All of that innovation equals new jobs.

What’s your favorite New Haven restaurant?
As a historian, I remain enamored with all the historic New Haven eateries. Of course, there are the legendary pizza joints like Pepe’s and Sally’s. We have Louis’ Lunch to thank for the hamburger. Union League dates back to 1884, and Mory’s was opened in 1849. I love revisiting these great restaurants and trying the new ones that are making their mark in our city.