Note from the Senior Director
Happy New Year! As we step into 2024, the center is abuzz with exciting news and upcoming events. We are thrilled to introduce two new board members, Silena Layne and Jimi Harris. Their diverse expertise and commitment will undoubtedly enrich the McCarthy Center experience. In case you missed it, download and delve into our 2023 Annual Impact Report for a comprehensive overview of the many milestones, achievements, and positive changes brought about by the center over the past year.
As we embark on this new year, let's continue to build connections, foster knowledge, and create positive change together. Thank you for being a vital part of the McCarthy Center community.
Wishing you a fantastic start to 2024!
Derick E. Brown
Senior Director
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Good Luck, USF in DC Fellows
Meet this spring's cohort of USF in DC fellows! Earlier this month Cindy Hoang, Paola Saavedra, Kyla Menconi, Maximilian Amend, Mitchell Dombrowski, Phoebe Perkins, Antonio Gomez, Forrest Cameron, and Taylor Matoba set out for the snow-packed East Coast, ready to begin a transformative opportunity to live in, learn about, and explore all that Washington, D.C. has to offer. We’ll look forward to hearing their stories from the frontlines over the next five months. To find out where they will be interning for the semester, check out our blog post »
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Calling for Equity Interns, McCarthy Fellows, and Community Empowerment Activists
There are various ways to make your mark through the McCarthy Center:
- Embark on a transformative 8-week summer adventure as an equity intern with the YMCA of San Francisco’s Power Scholars Academy (PSA), and address achievement gaps, educational advocacy, and public policy.
- Live, work, and learn in California's state capital as a McCarthy fellow in Sacramento this summer, in full-time internships at institutions that contribute to the state's policy-making process.
- Experience what public service is like in the nation’s capital through a full-time semester-long internship with USF in Washington, D.C.
- Intern in the offices of the City and County of San Francisco as a McCarthy fellow in San Francisco, studying political economy and culture with a local government agency.
- Deepen your grassroots organizing skills as community empowerment activists in a yearlong program of internships working with local community leaders, advocates, educators, artists, and healers.
Applications are now open through March 1.
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USF Rising Youth Mentorships Come to Campus
Following the official kick-off of USF Rising Youth Mentorship last semester, the program begins the new year by bringing together USF students and young mentees through the center’s community partners, with the common goal of fostering meaningful, lasting connections while emphasizing the importance of civic engagement and college opportunities. Look for our students and young people on their monthly visits to the Hilltop’s Innovation Hive, simulation center, and skills labs. View our kick-off photo album »
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Welcome New Board Advisers
Join us in welcoming our two newest board members! Jimi Harris (left) A community relations chief at PG&E, Jimi oversees the giving portfolios for PG&E’s community investment program and through his work in politics and public service was a team member for Kamala Harris’s campaign for San Francisco district attorney. Jimi is a native San Franciscan, a USF Law School alum, and has served on the board of directors for the Booker T. Washington Community Service Center and the Willie L. Brown Jr. Institute for Politics and Public Service.
Silena Layne (right) An educator, advocate, and community leader passionate about building equitable change for all black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), Silena graduated from USF in 2003 and joined the U.S. Peace Corps as an HIV/AIDS crisis mitigator in Southern Africa. She co-founded YOU Choose and Opportunity Impact, and currently supports Tenderloin residents through her work at Faithful Fools, encouraging community members to discover their power while seeking services and support.
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McCarthy Center Continues Partnership
with KQED in Night of Ideas
The McCarthy Center continues its partnership with KQED this spring with a presentation to be included in the line-up in Night of Ideas, an annual event bringing together local cultural organizations, leading thinkers, and artists to contemplate a future for city life that is more just, culturally vibrant, and sustainable. Our presentation will focus on USF’s long-standing Engage Literacy program in partnership with The Fillmore / Western Addition. Join us for an Engage panel that will share Cultural Humility and Literacy of Place with The Fillmore on Saturday, March 2, at 6 p.m. at the San Francisco Public Library's Main Branch. Register to attend »
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McCarthy Fellow Learns Challenges of Supporting Mental Health for Firefighters
Finance major Evan Cajigas '24 recently shared his journey as a McCarthy fellow in San Francisco with the San Francisco Fire Department. Guided by the McCarthy Center's equity mission, he dove into the Behavioral Health Unit under Captain Heather Buren. Through trials and revelations, his story illuminates the complexities of public service and the pursuit of fostering a supportive environment by shedding light on the challenges and triumphs of mental health support in public service. Read Evan's full guest blog post »
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Miss the Annual Impact Report?
In case you missed it, the 2023 Annual Impact Report is available. Don’t miss reading about how the center has continued to elevate the experience of our students in City Hall, Sacramento, and the nation's capital, while also deepening the collaborations between students and local community partners. We are so proud of all our accomplishments, and invite you to celebrate the center's achievements and the spirit that defines us while learning about the impact of our programs. Download the full report »
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McCarthy Center Events & Important Dates
Tuesdays | 11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
USFVotes Campus Pop-ups
University Center, Second Floor Tabling Station
Tuesdays through Feb. 27
McCarthy Fellow Information Session
Zoom Meeting ID: 415 422 5205
Tuesday, Feb. 13 | 11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
Student Spring Luncheon: Seeding Belonging through Communal Care with Dr. Jevon Rice
McCarthy Center, Masonic 103
Email jsramos@usfca.edu to RSVP »
Friday, Feb. 23 | 11:59 p.m.
Community Partner Co-Educator Fellowship Applications Due Apply »
Saturday, March 2 | 6–7 p.m.
Night of Ideas: Engage San Francisco Literacy
San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco
Register »
Tuesday, March 19 | 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
PSCE Minor Information Session
McCarthy Center, Masonic 105
Zoom Meeting ID: 613 920 0819
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