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

Learning to Lead: From The Fillmore to City Hall

Nicole Wilmot ’25 is currently a McCarthy Fellow of San Francisco interning at the Department of the Environment. She began her CEL journey as a freshman at Rosa Parks Elementary School as an Engage Literacy intern. Read on to learn how Nicole’s experience is giving her leadership skills from each setting. My name is Nicole…

Changing My Worldview Through the SFFD

Jaeda Johnson ’26 is a Psychology major with a minor in Criminal Justice Studies at USF. As a McCarthy Fellow in San Francisco interning at the SFFD’s Behavioral Health Unit, she has observed first-hand in San Francisco that while helping our communities, we must not forget to take care of ourselves. Read on to learn…

The Power of Mentorship

Sophia Troiani ’25 is one of our USF Rising Youth Mentors! Moving from Texas to California, she found her drive to give back and empower our communities. Pursuing her Psychology degree while minoring in Public Service and Community Engagement, Sophia has left a mark on our community by giving our mentees an insight into their…

Illuminating the Path to Youth Development

With her experience in education, program management, and international education development for the San Francisco Beacon Initiative, Jessica Zlotnicki joined our Community Partner Co-Educator (CPCE) Fellowship this past spring where she connected with community peers, shared her expertise, and built a deeper understanding of how to work with USF and our students. In this post,…

Speaking Truth to Power at USF

Angeline Vuong is the Associate Director of Community Engagement and Public Service Programs offered at the McCarthy Center. Leading our USFVotes team, she understands that with this election season, voting is crucial more than ever before. Angeline describes how the value of being a civically-engaged campus is a core aspect of Jesuit education and show…

Presenting Your Best Self

Rabbi Stephen Pierce was the former chair of the Leo T. McCarthy Center. Beginning in his college days, he didn’t know exactly how to present his best self in a professional setting. In his new book, I Wish I’d Said That: A Guide for Writers, Speakers, and Healers, Pearce provides the tools he learned to the…

Mentoring The Next Generation

Koa Fong ’25 Finance major is dedicated to social justice, Chinese-American activism, and the Jesuit values of USF. She is a member of the USF Rising Youth Mentorship program, which demonstrates how our country’s education needs the help of young people to show the way. During the 2023-2024 year, Koa helped middle school and high…

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…