Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good

Meet Our 2024 Equity Interns!

In this week’s blog, we introduce the 2024 cohort of Equity Interns, dedicated to advancing educational equity by supporting the YMCA of San Francisco’s Power Scholars Academy. Join us in welcoming them for a foggy summer in San Francisco working, earning and mentoring in The Fillmore/Western Addition, the Mission and the Bayview districts! University…

Happy 10-year Anniversary, Engage San Francisco

Celebrating 10 years, the University of San Francisco, Leo T. McCarthy Center, and Engage SF have fostered respectful and reciprocal collaborations, standing in contrast to decades of harmful redevelopment and gentrification. As this milestone is celebrated, the impactful work done and ongoing efforts to support and uplift The Fillmore community are recognized. Silena Layne, a…

Meet Our 2024 McCarthy Fellows in Sacramento

Congratulations to our newest cohort of McCarthy Fellows in Sacramento. This summer, nine students from diverse majors and backgrounds will immerse themselves in the policymaking process at California’s state capital. Fellows will gain firsthand experience in how state-level public policy is crafted and develop the skills needed to become change leaders in their communities. Join…

Shoutout to our 2024 CEAs

Our 2023-2024 Community Empowerment Activists (CEA) are finishing up a great year. These eighteen individuals have embarked on a transformative journey in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area. Through a yearlong immersive experience, they delved into the intricate web of systemic oppression and resistance, honing their skills in grassroots organizing, advocacy, and coalition…

Welcome to our 2024 CPCE Fellows

Congratulations to our newest Community Partner Co-Educator Fellows (CPCE)! We applaud the dedicated work of nonprofit staff, service providers, public servants, activists, artists, and local change agents who have joined this collaborative learning community. The CPCE Fellowship is committed to fostering equitable relationships between USF and our community partners, prioritizing the integration of community wisdom…

Discovering Civil Discourse: My Journey at the SNF Ithaca National Student Dialogue

Deriana Brown’s journey began unexpectedly on a Wednesday evening when she received an email invitation from Senior Director Derick Brown to participate in the third annual Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Ithaca National Student Dialogue at the University of Delaware. Despite her initial apprehensions as a student double majoring in Entrepreneurship & Innovation and Accounting, Deriana…

Congratulating our 2024 Award Winners

The Leo T. McCarthy Year-end awards honor students, faculty, and community partners who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to community-engaged learning through their individual and collective experiences. Every May, we celebrate meaningful student projects and service experiences that educate students on social justice issues and facilitate mutually beneficial outcomes for our community. This year, we are…

Rethinking America’s Approach to Crime and Rehabilitation

In his thought-provoking blog post, Community Empowerment Activist Maxwell Drati, Politics, African American Studies ‘25, highlights the systemic failures and social injustices plaguing America, from educational disparities and healthcare accessibility to the shortcomings of the criminal justice system. Drati argues that the U.S. has prioritized punitive measures, such as prisons, over genuine rehabilitation and communal…