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

Gender, Power and Democracy in India: A Sarlo Scholar’s Experience

By Neema Jyothiprakash “Zindabad! Zindabad!” It means long live the revolution; I have only seen it on TV, as protesters chant, or in Bollywood movies. The second day at my organization I interned with, I saw it said as hands clasped together in greeting. People had come from 3 or 4 hours away for the…

A Conscious Leader

Hello my name is Brandon Oldham, and I am currently working as a project manager at Quesada Gardens Initiative in San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood. As project leader, I’ve been working with multiple USF service-learners to launch the Quesada Gardens General Store. Working with USF service-learners greatly connects to my former role as an Advocate for Community Engagement…

From ACE to Americorps VISTA

My name is Carly Smith. I recently graduated from USF in May 2013 with a degree in Communication Studies and a minor in Public Service and Community Engagement. I participated in several of McCarthy Center programs including the Public Service minor, the McCarthy Fellows program c/o 2011 and the ACE program from 2010-2013. After graduating…

Week 3: Understanding CA Politics

Internship: Assemblywoman Bonilla How has your view of California government and the political process changed or stayed the same since the start of your internship in Sacramento? My view going into this summer fellowship was that I knew nothing and I was going to learn a lot. Simple, I know, but my self-acknowledged ignorance to…

Week 2: Organization Structure

Internship: Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development How is your host internship site organized in terms of teams, departments, or divisions? What is your office environment like, and how does the office structure contribute to effectively delivering services or accomplishing its agency mission? During my summer internship experience with the USF McCarthy Fellows I…

Week 2: Office Policy Platforms

Internship: Senator Leland Yee What are some of the policy platforms of your office? How is your office accountable to constituent groups it serves? Our largest policy platform, in a nutshell, is supporting the rights of the underserved population. Minorities, the elderly, victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking; workplace violence; all of these are and…

Week 1: First Month of Internship

Internship: California Grocers’ Association Tell us about your first month of internship. What goals have you established for yourself and what progress have you made so far in your professional growth as an intern? From the moment I started with the California Grocers Association (CGA), I knew that I had landed a unique opportunity. The…

Week 1: Typical Sacramento Work Week

Internship: Assemblymember Steven Bradford (62nd District) The day starts at 9am when I get to the office. First, I log on to check email then I go pick up the office mail in the basement. Next to the mailboxes are the Daily Files. The Daily Files are small booklet published daily that tell staff of…