Kudos to the 2025-2026 Holstein Award Winners

Each year, the Leo T. McCarthy Center is honored to present the Robert M. Holstein Memorial Scholarship to accomplished students who embody the deep commitment of the center’s mission of public service and the common good. This year’s recipients are no exception.  Award winners Diego Zamalloa, Larry Wesley III, Sofia Fontana, Gabriella Fulton, and Natalie Ryu have all participated in multiple McCarthy Center programs, showing their commitment to public service. Every one of their unique experiences and aspirations contributes something meaningful to the center and a future in public leadership. Learn more about each of these students and what they have accomplished to date! 

Diego Zamalloa ’27

Diego, originally from San Diego, is an International Studies major and Economics minor, passionate about foreign affairs, diplomacy, and languages. Diego is motivated by his belief in making people feel seen, heard, and accompanied through their trials and met where they are. Through working with USFVotes as an engagement lead and as an I-LEADer with the Arrupe Immersions, he developed his ability to uncover commonalities in a world of political and social differences through conversation. As an RA, Magis Mentor, and Ambassador, he experienced the privilege of operating within, serving, and developing relationships with a breadth of incredible communities. Coming into his third year at USF, Diego will spend the first semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the Spring and Summer as a fellow in USF in DC and Sacramento. Looking ahead, Diego hopes to take these practices of daily diplomacy to the international community, serving as a diplomat and fostering collaboration in a disjointed world. He is immensely grateful for the opportunities provided by the McCarthy Center and hopes to further interact with its mission of public service throughout his academic and professional career.

Larry Wesley III ’25

Larry Wesley III is a senior at the University of San Francisco, majoring in Politics with minors in Criminal Justice Studies and Public Service and Community Engagement. Originally from Chester, Pennsylvania, his journey has taken him across the country, shaped by a deep commitment to public service and civic engagement. Through the Leo T. McCarthy Center, Larry gained first-hand experience in policy making, first by interning in Congress during USF in DC, then supporting student voter engagement with the Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project while participating in USF in Sacramento. After graduation, he plans to pursue both a Master of Divinity and a law degree to become a prison chaplain dedicated to faith-based healing and systemic reform.

Sofia Fontana ’26

Sofia Fontana is a senior with a major in Sociology and Minors in Legal Studies and Spanish. Her passion for Public Service stemmed from her own lived experience in the Education system, growing up with a Hidden Disability. That experience has been the main driver in Sofia’s commitment to Public Service and Community Engagement, where she would like to tackle public policy issues like educational access and equity, access to reproductive freedom for all, and advocating against all forms of discrimination. Most recently, she has been working as a legal intern for Open Door Legal, whose mission is to diminish poverty through access to free legal services. Sofia has also dedicated time to tutor ESL learners. In her free time, Sofia likes to collage with vintage magazines and rock climb.

Gabriella Fulton ’25

Gabriella is a rising senior majoring in politics. Born in Southaven, Mississippi, she enjoys being in such a diverse city that offers many different opportunities compared to back home. During the summer, she interns at Donati Law, which helps those trying to get their Social Security and disability benefits. Here she assists with directing clients over the phone and in person. She also informs clients of the progress of their case and collects information from them to help the attorneys prepare to represent the client. Since being at USF, she has been actively trying to be involved. In her sophomore year, she was a part of the Leo T. McCarthy Center Community Engaged Activists program. During her time with this program, she was placed with the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco, and because of her passion for housing rights and homelessness, this was a great opportunity for her to gain more experience and insight on how to help others struggling. Gabby hopes to continue this work moving forward with the McCarthy Center and after she graduates with the help of this scholarship.

Natalie Ryu ’27

Natalie is a current junior studying Politics, Legal Studies, and Asian Pacific American Studies (APAS). She serves as the 2025-2026 ASUSF Senate Vice President of Internal Affairs and is a student representative on the USF Board of Trustees Academic Affairs committee. Both of these positions enable meaningful advocacy for constituent interests and have allowed her to refine her passions for policy and legislation implementation. Her previous internship with the City and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisors president, Rafael Mandelman (District 8), as a legislative intern provided firsthand experience with local government that she hopes to continue to build on as a Spring 2026 USF in DC fellow. Her additional engagements on campus include the Get Oriented (GO) Team, the USF AAPI Center as an AAPI Leadership Fellow, and the Dons Game Day Experience team. With career aspirations in the legal field, she is grateful to the McCarthy Center for opportunities to intentionally learn from local and national politics that empower public service and community engagement.