The Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good / Programs / McCarthy Fellows in San Francisco

McCarthy Fellows in San Francisco

McCarthy Fellows in San Francisco is a semester-long program that integrates a part-time internship with the City & County of San Francisco alongside a rigorous academic seminar course. This unique program is in partnership with the USF Politics Department and the SF Department of Human Resources. In this semester program, a select group of fellows have the unique opportunity to study political economy and culture with a local government agency according to their interest area.

Students develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be informed participants in democratic life while also contributing to local policymaking, administration, and politics aimed at shaping San Francisco into a more inclusive and equitable city. The program will emphasize the historic and political-economic background of San Francisco through rigorous academic content, structured reflection, and professional development to prepare students with the knowledge and analytical skills to be ethical public service leaders. All majors are welcome to apply.

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Yesenia GarciaAs a McCarthy Fellow in San Francisco, I am eager to apply my knowledge of public policy in the real world through a lens of equity and accessibility. This program prepares me to think about my role in society and how I can be an agent of change through local policymaking while learning from the community that I serve. I am excited to develop my professional skills in a setting that is focused on making this world a better place for youth."

– Yesenia Garcia, Politics '21, minor in Public Service and Community Engagement,
SFUSD Board of Education

Recent Placements/Partnerships

  • Department of Children, Youth, and Families
  • Department of the Environment
  • SF Recreation and Parks
  • Metropolitan Transit Authority
  • Department of Public Works
  • SF Board of Supervisors
  • Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing
  • SFUSD Board of Education
  • Department of Human Resources
  • SF Public Library

Contact Info

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

M-F 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Masonic, Room 106
University of San Francisco
2130 Fulton St.
San Francisco, CA 94117 (415) 422-5662 (415) 422-5641