University of San Francisco | Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good

Learning Resilience from Community

Emily Choto ’25 is working toward both Environmental Science and Politics majors at USF! Being a McCarthy Fellow in San Francisco, she has been able to experience public service in the Mission District. Working inside The Food as Medicine Collaborative is a coalition of community clinics, food nonprofits and businesses, and health care systems. Emily…

The Ripple Effect of Mentoring

Nyamal Chuol ’27 is a Public Health major with an Environmental Science minor working as a USF Rising Youth Mentor. Providing guidance for the next generation is a way of breaking down the same barriers that she had experienced just a few years earlier. With empathy, Nyamal puts herself in the mentees’ shoes and supports…

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…

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…

See You in City Hall, McCarthy Fellows!

We are pleased to introduce 18 students who will participate in our McCarthy Fellows in San Francisco program in the Fall semester. Meet each fellow and learn where they will intern in City Hall or in nearby city offices and departments. In preparation, over this past summer, they participated in monthly training workshops in public…

Cultivating Community Leaders: A Reflection on the 2023 Newman Civic Fellows Convening

Embark on a transformative journey with USF student Viet-Hung Nguyen as he shares insights from the 2023 Newman Civic Fellows Convening—where passion meets purpose, and community leaders unite to inspire change. Read more to join the conversation on leadership, service, and shaping a better world. As I stepped into the plane at Boston Logan International…

Navigating the Path to Common Good: The Power of Conversations

As Caitlin Kennedy took her place on the illuminated stage, the Leo T. McCarthy Center had chosen her as the student panelist for the Conversations for the Common Good event, an opportunity to engage and gain insights from the young elected officials shaping the region’s future. Sharing the stage with notable figures such as Assembly-member…

Empowering Futures: My Journey in Politics with the McCarthy Center

Emily LipKind, a passionate individual whose journey in politics and education has been shaped by her experiences at the Leo T. McCarthy Center. Join us as she shares her story, detailing how her college years led to a profound understanding of her path in the world of politics and policy-making. Read on to discover…