USF Grad’s Humanitarian Efforts Go Global

For David Alejandro Schoeller-Diaz ’07, public health is about human dignity. Growing up across South America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia, he saw firsthand how limited access to healthcare affects people’s ability to live healthy lives, pursue careers, and reach their full potential.

During his USF tenure, Schoeller-Diaz was fully immersed in his public health and fine arts major. He made the most of the experience, enthusiastically taking advantage of every opportunity possible. His involvement included the McCarthy Fellows program, Humanities Honors program, a semester in Washington, D.C., and a San Francisco City Hall internship. Along the way, he connected with professors who demonstrated genuine care, believed in him, and were willing to invest in him and his peers. 

Their belief in me was as powerful – if not more powerful than any metric or grade"

David Alejandro Schoeller-Diaz ’07

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With a foundation built by his educational experiences, in recent years, Schoeller-Diaz has led mental health initiatives and studied health equality in Southern Africa. While analyzing the impacts of COVID-19 and producing reports for humanitarian and developing countries, his mission remained consistent: to enhance accessibility in healthcare for marginalized groups to ensure that no voices are silenced. 

Of his many diverse experiences, a transformative moment in his career was his work in his maternal home of Colombia. There, he interviewed hundreds of women displaced by armed conflict whose stories were marked by trauma and survival. Thanks to his efforts, the Office of High Commissioner under the Colombian presidency asked him to help interpret and analyze what the public defines as “peace.” He reviewed testimonies, turning them into structured proposals to promote rules of law and to expand healthcare access across the country. 

“Seeing grassroots voices shape national policy was humbling and unforgettable,” he said.

Nearly 20 years after graduating from USF, Schoeller-Diaz reflects on what he hopes current USF students will carry with them as they pursue their careers. While Schoeller-Diaz’s journey has been guided by amplifying people’s stories and fighting for their rights and agency, he hopes the next generation will keep humility close to their hearts as they pursue their own journeys. 

Carry forward the lessons learned from David Alejandro Schoeller-Diaz’s story, and help USF students drive real force in creating change in the world.