The Common Good

Volume II, Issue 5 Summer 2008

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

USF’s First California Prize for Service and the

Common Good is a Great Success
On May 1, at The Merchant Exchange Building in San Francisco, USF awarded its first ever California Prize for Service and
the Common Good to Lynn Fritz for his commitment to humanitarian relief. He was awarded a medal and a $10,000 purse.

Susan and Phil Marineau with Prize win- Leslie Benjamin and Michelle Skaff with
ner Lynn Fritz, and Anisya Thomas Fritz. USF President Stephen A. Dean Jennifer Turpin.
Privett, S.J. awards the Prize
medal to Lynn Fritz.

Guests enjoy the California Prize Courtney Allen Kilroy, Jacqueline

dinner. McCarthy and Sharon McCarthy Allen.

The California Prize medal,

designed by Heidi Nasher Fink.

USF students (left to right) Eliza-

Suzanne Troxel and Josh
beth Schaub, Amanda Leal, and
Peckler.
Owazolem Idah greet guests.
Lynn Fritz with his daughters (left to right)
Alexandra Fritz, Natalie Fritz Eid, Emily Fritz
Veloso and Leslie Fritz.
USF Students Travel to Peru for Service-Learning Trip
By Amber McChesney-Young ’08, Advocate for Community Engagement
This past May, I had the privilege of
traveling to Tacna, Peru with USF's
Community Connections service-
learning trip. For the past few years,
students and faculty from the de-
partment of Computer Science have
been going to schools in Tacna,
Amber McChesney-Young where they work to bridge the digi-
with students at Miguel Pro. tal divide. This year we also had
students and faculty from Dance,
Business, Exercise and Sport Sci-
ence and the School of Education,
as well as Star Plaxton and myself
from the Office of Service-Learning
and Community Action (OSLCA).
We worked in groups on a number
of projects. Dance students and
faculty taught movement classes to
the students and taught some of the
teachers how to use dance and body
movement to teach other academic
subjects. Computer students in-
stalled Edubuntu, a free open
USF students, staff and faulty
source operating system, in a com-
in Lima, Peru.
puter lab at Colegio Miguel Pro.
This change is allowing the school to as they served using the skills and
decrease their dependency on Win- education they had gained at USF.
dows, which is very expensive if it is Every morning, Star Plaxton
legally licensed. One USF student (assistant director of OSLCA) and
developed a database to hold the re- I facilitated reflections, with the
cords of the students at the Center for help of Professor Chris Brooks,
the Working Child. I became an hon- and we saw a great depth of
orary computer science student and thought and analysis as students
helped lead a class at Miguel Pro on reflected on their projects, observa-
digital photography and Flickr, the tions and experiences.
photo-sharing Web site. The business For more information about the
students taught classes about entrepre- Community Connections Peru
neurship and business, and the faculty trip, see http://www.cs.usfca.edu/
also did some projects of their own, peru/.
creating surveys and teaching work-
shops.
As an Advocate for Community En-
gagement with OSLCA this past year,
part of my job was to ensure that stu-
dents were having real service-learning
experiences (not just volunteering), so
it was exciting to see the quality of
service-learning happening on this
trip. It was clear that the students
Amber on a visit to
(including myself) were learning a lot
Machu Picchu.

Congratulations McCarthy Center Graduates!

Having just graduated in May, McCarthy Center grads are already on their way to successful careers in public service.

McCarthy Center Director, Professor Pubic Service Honors Minor Hannah Public Service Honors Minor William
McCarthy graduate
Patrick Murphy with Advocates for Minkevitch receives her graduation Mohring with McCarthy Center staff
and Dean’s medal
Community Engagement (left to right) stole from Professor Patrick Murphy. members Star Plaxton and Maureen
winner Jamila
Melanie Raygoza, Andrea Wise and Beckman.
Sinlao.
Amber McChesney-Young.
McCarthy Center Graduate Updates
Amber McChesney-Young ’08 will begin work with the Houston Interfaith Worker Justice Center in August as part of the Jesuit Volun-
teer Corps. Melanie Raygoza ’08 is an Employment Specialist at the Positive Resource Center, a non-profit organization that assists
people affected by HIV/AIDS. William Mohring ’08 works as a staff assistant for the Democratic National Convention Committee.
Melanie Steger ’08 is a Research Associate for Beacon Economics. Jamila Sinlao ’08 begins a PhD program in Sociology at the Univer-
sity of California, Santa Barbara this fall. Hannah Minkevitch ’08 has been selected to serve as one of two USF University Ambassadors
who will work with USF alumni.
2
www.usfca.edu/mccarthycenter
USF in Sacramento Students Make the Most of their time at the Capitol
By Christina Brogden, USF in Sacramento student
Each summer, the McCarthy Center’s USF in Sacramento program sends students from a variety of disciplines to intern fulltime in the Cali-
fornia state legislature while taking a summer school course to earn course credit.

internship with the California As- knowledge and understanding of

Addie Byars (left) and Christina
Brogden at work in their legisla-
tive office.
Being a political science major, I
have always had an interest in
working in a legislative office.
Although I had little knowledge of
how a legislative office really
worked, the McCarthy Center
provided me with an opportunity
unlike any other. Through the
McCarthy Center’s USF in Sacra-
mento program, I obtained an
sembly Speaker’s Office of Member
Services. From the beginning of the
internship, I was given the opportu-
nity to witness the legislative proc-
ess firsthand. In my first week, I
was able to attend several commit-
tee hearings, witness an inspira-
tional speech made by the president
of the Republic of Chile, and at-
tend an Assembly Floor session. I
attended committee briefings on
important policy issues for Califor-
nia residents such as K-12 educa-
tion, environmental safety, and
toxic materials. I have had the pleas-
ure of researching and writing
memorandums discussing these
issues and other topics of interest.
This process has improved my
the political process in the state
of California.
This practical experience has
allowed me to not only under-
stand political science theory but
also its application. Even though
I remain flexible about my future
aspirations, I am certain that it
will be a career in the policy mak-
ing process. If I would not have
participated in this summer pro-
gram, then I would not have been
exposed to California’s unique
and dynamic political process.
USF in Sacramento students
Being an intern in Sacramento
(left to right) Addie Byars,
has been the most challenging
Christina Brogden, Evelyn
and rewarding experience of my
Molina, Vince Mahan, and
USF career.
Jenny Sperry.

An Unforgettable Summer
By Devon Davey, summer Service-Learning in Nicaragua student
Thanks to a generous grant from the Sarlo Foundation of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund, five USF Latin American Studies
students are spending nine weeks in Nicaragua working with various non-profit organizations. Here, one of them shares her experience.
Stay tuned for reflections from other students in the program in our next issue.

How does one prepare to move to another
country? To live with a new family? To
communicate in another language? Or to be
seen as an outsider? How do you prepare
yourself for the unknown? You study the
language, you speak with those who carry
experience and you bring your unfailing
passion and sustain your open mind, learn-
ing to expect the unexpected.
Devon’s host brother Osmar, reading a
Dr. Seuss book.
This is what has given me such a positive
experience in Nicaragua. Nothing really
could have prepared me better than my edu-
cation. I will be a senior next year at USF,
majoring in International Relations with a
focus on Global Politics and Societies in
Latin America.
One of the most drastic changes I experi-
enced moving to Nicaragua for the summer
and interning with the Foundation for Sus-
tainable Development, was being placed into
another culture, and another already estab-
lished family. Being accepted with open arms
and a kiss on the cheek was amazing.
I am working at an integral education organi-
zation that operates a private school and
programs for children living in the local
community. These programs include dance,
art, guitar, and crafts classes in addition to
3
vocational skills training. The organization’s
mission focuses on including human rights and
social justice values in education and therefore
bettering the community. I am working to cre-
ate a resource room with audio-visual documen-
taries and materials at the school. Through
these, I hope to create better and more diverse
forms of teaching and learning on campus. I
am also working with the English sections in
the primary and secondary levels. I hope to
increase participation and interest through
sharing my experience and culture and by en-
riching their classes with additional resources
to promote further learning. There is so much
energy, hope, and joy in the children’s faces. I
love coming to class and having the kids be
excited to see me. They are so curious about
what my life is like, and I love the exchange of
culture that takes place.
www.usfca.edu/mccarthycenter
 News and Notes
The prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science will welcome
four former McCarthy Center students into the ranks of its graduate program.
Honors minors Lunna Lopes ('06) and David Theiss ('06) will be joined by Anna
Greene ('08) and Alison Angelos ('08).
UNIVERSITY OF
SAN FRANCISCO On August 27, USF students will participate in the third annual Service-Learning
Preview. This event gives students and alumni the chance to learn more about
service-learning through presentations and off-campus tours of non-profit or-
Editor: ganizations.
Angela Mucci

Phone: On September 9, the Office of Service-Learning and Community Action and the
415-422-5662 Career Services Center will host their annual Non-Profit Expo, allowing students
to connect with local non-profit organizations.
Fax:
415-422-5641
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will host a USF in D.C. reception in the Speaker’s
We’re on the Web! private dining room at the U.S. Capitol on October 13.
Visit us at:
www.usfca.edu/mccarthycenter
Staying connected to McCarthy Center news and
Send comments to:
mccarthycenter@usfca.edu alumni is just a click away!
“Educating Simply log on to USFConnect and click the Alumni
minds and hearts tab. There you can view McCarthy Center newslet-
to change the world” ters, donate online, find classmates through our
Facebook group and learn about upcoming events.
http://connect.usfca.edu/cp/home/loginf

Leo T. McCarthy Center for

Public Service and the Common Good
2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-1080