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

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…

The McCarthy Center as a Beacon of Hope

In the complex landscape of today’s world, maintaining hope can be a profound challenge. David M. Holler, the Director of the Martín–Baró Scholars Program, a McCarthy Faculty Scholar for the 2021-2025 school year, and a devoted member of the University of San Francisco (USF) community, recently reflected on what gives hope. For David, the answer…

The Call to Civic Engagement on Super Tuesday

Join Ashlyn Glancy on her transformative journey with the McCarthy Center’s USFVotes at the University of San Francisco. What started as a curious involvement in tabling activities evolved into a profound passion for political engagement. With Super Tuesday approaching, she underscores the importance of early political engagement and encourages her fellow students and community members…

Students standing in front of orange wall

Engage SF Takes the Stage at KQED’s “Night of Ideas”

Mark your calendars for a captivating evening of thought-provoking discussions and cultural exploration as the McCarthy Center takes the stage at KQED’s fifth annual “Night of Ideas”— the all-night marathon of talks, performances, food, art, and collective imagination at the San Francisco Public Library in Civic Center. The McCarthy Center’s Engage San Francisco Literacy presents…