Stella Choi, a 2026 Yale graduate, is among 30 American students named as the first cohort of Lafayette fellows, a new scholarship that aims to deepen the academic and cultural exchange between France and the U.S.
Stella Choi
Photo courtesy of Stella Choi
Stella Choi
Photo courtesy of Stella Choi
Stella Choi ’26, a recent graduate of Yale College, will be part of the first cohort of Lafayette fellows, a new scholarship created by the French Embassy in the United States to deepen the academic and cultural exchange between France and the U.S. and to support young leaders interested in this transatlantic relationship.
Choi is one of 30 recipients of the scholarship, which will support master’s level study in France.
As a Yale undergraduate, Choi studied cognitive science and education, with a focus on how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the educational landscape for students, and how young children are interacting with these emerging AI technologies.
She authored and self-published a children’s book, “Should Leif Trust Birdie the AI?: An Educational Introduction to Digital Literacy.” And for her senior thesis she designed a study exploring the effects reading such a book on children’s knowledge and trust in AI. She also held a variety of leadership roles in Korean and Christian organizations on campus.
As a Lafayette Fellow, Choi will attend the Paris School of AI at the Université Paris Sciences & Lettres (PSL), where she will complete a master’s degree program in AI and society. She hopes to leverage this international perspective to develop AI literacy tools for U.S. students.
The Paris School of AI at Université PSL is one of 15 leading French institutions that will partner with Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education within the French Embassy in the United States, and France Science for the inaugural edition of the Lafayette Fellowship.
The first cohort of fellows was announced on June 1 and will be welcomed in Paris on July 4, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of American independence.
“The Lafayette Fellowship is an investment in the next generation of American leaders and in the enduring friendship and partnership between France and the United States,” said Mohamed Bouabdallah, cultural counselor of France in the United States and director of Villa Albertine. “By giving exceptional young Americans the opportunity to study, live, and build lasting ties in France, we are creating a powerful community of future leaders who will shape the next chapter of transatlantic cooperation.”
The program is open to both Francophone and non-Francophone candidates, and partners with leading French academic institutions across STEM, humanities, social sciences, and the arts, with courses taught in French or entirely in English. The program will encourage reflection on major global challenges, such as environmental challenges and sustainability; health and biotechnology; peace and security; social equity and democratic issues; digital technologies; and artificial intelligence.
In addition to their academic studies, fellows will also join the French-American Leadership Program — a year-long series of lectures, masterclasses, site visits, and mentorship — offering full immersion in European innovation, culture, and policy.
Learn more about the Lafayette Fellowship.
