Service Learning Institute

B.A. Cinematic Arts & Technology

Nyah Edington

Fairfield, California 

Short Film: We Believe You

“The most meaningful part of this experience has been
talking to a specialist about the importance of hearing sexual assault survivor stories and how there is power and mutual connectiveness from expressing one’s story.”

B.A. Global Studies

Olivia Juarez

Fairfield, California

Community Partner: Asia Monitor Resource Centre

“During my time working with AMRC, my desire to go into international law grew even stronger. Being exposed to actual cases of labor rights violations and then being expected to create detailed infographics and meticulously written reports makes you want to keep doing this type of work in the future—it is very rewarding.”

B.A., Humanities & Communication

D. Guadalupe Castillon-Mendoza

San Antonio, Texas

Community Partner: MILPA

“We have local leaders who genuinely know how systems of power function to affect change on a local, county, state, & federal level. At MILPA, I learned that I have the tools and knowledge in me to be a vital part in social movements.”

B.A., Japanese Language & Culture

Hana Jacinto

Monterey, California

Community Partner: Community Partnership for Youth

“I learned that culturally relevant pedagogy is important to foster students’ appreciation for diversity and cultivating open-mindedness toward another culture.”

B.A., Music

Symphonie Constant

Monterey, CA

Community Partner: Palenke Arts

B.A., Psychology

Brenda Estrada-Najera

Redding, California

Community Partner: Community Partnership for Youth

“I will continue to believe in the success of children who might otherwise be given up on. The most meaningful part of serving has been feeling like I’m impacting a young person's life. I hadn’t considered before how much of an impact a mentor could have.”

B.A., Spanish Language & Hispanic Culture

Sarai Haro Estrada

Zacatecas, Mexico

Community Partner: Monterey Peninsula College

“Change in your community begins with oneself. We should know and become more involved with the needs of our community in order to achieve positive change. ”

B.A., Visual & Public Art

Delinda Watkins

Hollister, California

Community Partner: Public Space

“Service learning allowed me to step outside of myself to bring awareness to the isolation certain social groups are faced with due to systemic oppression. Service learning makes a difference within a community by breaking down isolated barriers and building unity with surrounding communities.”

B.S., Business Administration

Saray Garcia

Santa Ana, California

Community Partner: LATINAN (Latin Advocacy Network) 

“Our service time is so valuable. It causes a chain reaction within the organization where you leave your mark unknowingly on the lives of others. There’s so much that we can do, even if it is for a short while, when we offer our service.”

B.S., Sustainable Hospitality Management

Yanet Murillo Diaz

Community Partner: Dorothy's Kitchen

B.S., Human Development & Family Studies

Karla Montano Acosta

Castroville, California

Community Partner: Pajaro Valley High School

“Service-learning with PVUSD expanded my understanding of service by showing me how a supportive community can make a valuable difference in the students' lives.”

B.A., Liberal Studies

Clarissa Murillo

Delhi, California

Community Partner: Monterey Bay Charter School & MLK School of the Arts

“I will take my experience and observations from these various classrooms to help build my own classroom that will be an equitable and positive environment for my future students.”

B.A., Collaborative Health & Human Services

Mariela Jacuinde

Salinas, California

Community Partner: Safe AG Safe Schools

“The most meaningful part of serving has been supporting my community by increasing their knowledge about pesticides and giving them the opportunity to learn how they can protect themselves from these dangerous materials. I took this experience as a window into my future in human services.”

B.S., Kinesiology

Emma-Shane Cowan

Woodland, California

Community Partner: Presidio Youth Sports

“The most meaningful part of serving at Presidio Youth Sports was the rewarding feeling I had upon leaving each and every day. The smiles and giggles of the kids and coaches were contagious, and it was a great environment for both the players and staff to learn and teach the game of soccer.”

B.S., Agricultural Plant & Soil Sciences

Valentin Contreras

Salinas, California

Community Partner: Jacob's Heart

“This experience has allowed me to understand others more and help me establish a better relationship with my community.”

B.S., Communication Design

Kayla Lee

San Leandro, California

Community Partner: Dorothy's Place

“The most meaningful part of serving has been learning about how my site impacts the community of Salinas, especially the homeless community.”

B.S., Computer Science

Trinidad Ramirez

Elk Grove, California

Community Partner: OrangeNote

“This experience will remind me to share my knowledge and teach others in order to promote more accessibility to STEM education and help break down any inequitable barriers to it.”

B.S., Environmental Science, Technology & Policy

Sabrina Bento

Antioch, California

Community Partner: Bureau of Land Management

“I’ll continue to help other service learners learn about what we do and why we do it. I will carry this experience with me by bringing up the topic of climate change more often, and getting people to think about it on a regular basis.”

B.A., Environmental Studies

Kailee Huebner

Santa Cruz, California

Community Partner: Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

“This experience has heightened my perspective on community-based learning and what it means to model environmental justice in day-to-day life. I am excited to continue down this path and see where it leads.”

B.S., Marine Science

Elizabeth Delgado Contreras

Vallejo, California

Community Partner: Return of the Natives

“This service has helped me realize how much I love to educate the public! One of my career goals now is to be a college professor in marine ecology.”

B.S., Mathematics

Sheenal Sonia Mala Kumar

Marina, California

Community Partner: Seaside High School 

“I hope that my service at Seaside High inspired students to have a more positive attitude towards mathematics. I hope that I was able to represent women of color in the field of math and inspire students to aspire towards a career in the STEM field.”

B.S., Molecular Biology

Shaelyn Latronica

Los Banos, California

Community Partner: SPCA

“Supporting the community has developed my own meaning of life. I hope that I can help to bring this same sense of meaning to other people's lives, so together we can create an endless cycle of support.”

B.S., Statistics

Sophia Torres

Temecula, California

Community Partner: Institute for Innovation & Economic Development (iiED)

“From this experience, I have gained not only experience in my field, but a willingness to pursue a career in something that serves my local community. It is possible to build a stable lifestyle while still being committed to service and investing my time in something that not only benefits me, but my community as well.”

The Marian Penn Partnership Award is presented to one faculty member and community partner whose partnership embodies the values of the Service Learning Institute: commitment, communication, trust, and reciprocity.

Ben Bruce, Program Director of Community Partnership for Youth

Dr. Yoshiko Saito-Abbott, Professor of World Languages and Cultures and Director of Monterey Bay World Language Project

Dr. Saito-Abbott and Ben Bruce are recognized for working together to provide workshops on the Japanese language and culture for the children at CPY, hosted by service learning students at CSUMB. 

The Civic Action Award recognizes the outstanding work of a partnership between a CSUMB faculty member or student and a community group that seeks to improve the quality of life through public or civic engagement.

Dr. Robin Pelc, Lecturer of Natural Sciences

Bill Hayward, CEO of Hayward Lumber

Dr. Robin Pelc and Bill Hayward are recognized for their work building, donating, and mobilizing the Monterey community to participate in the Corsi-Rosenthal Box project in collaboration with MCOE.