Service Learning Institute

B.A. Cinematic Arts & Technology

Alyssa Soto

Watsonville, California

Community Partner: Transportation Agency for Monterey County 

“This experience helped me see that service creates a lasting impact, even if the work you do is a small part of a larger project.”

B.A., Ethnic Studies

Michael Mendoza

Community Partner: Monterey Peace & Justice Center

B.A., Global Studies

David Ledesma

Fresno, California

Community Partner: Monterey Adult School

“This experience expanded my understanding of service greatly, I had previously only done grassroots and organizational advocacy. I now see direct service as such an integral part of service.”

B.A., Humanities & Communication

Austin Teague

Carmel, California

Community Partner: Carmel High School

“Being able to see how a classroom is conducted from the viewpoint of the teacher and having the chance to connect with the students made me feel a lot more confident in my ability to pursue teaching as my future career.”

B.A., Japanese Language & Culture

Alyssa Lee Ann Powell

Salinas, California

Community Partner: CPY (Community Partnerships for Youth)

“Service, and teaching in general, is about creating global citizens, establishing new horizons for students to reach, and showing students that they are all powerful in their own way and can do whatever they set their minds to.”

B.A., Music

Iván Garcia Buelna

Community Partner: Palenke Arts

B.A., Psychology

Lily Vang

Elk Grove, California

Community Partner: Spreckels Union School District

“Service is a process that can’t be rushed. Dedication, time, effort, and passion towards an outcome work together to create the best possible change.”

B.A., Social & Behavioral Sciences

Anthony Chun Lorenzo

East Los Angeles, California

Community Partner: Salinas Unified High School District

“This showed me how the needs of a community can vary dramatically and how as academics, we should not assume that we know what is best. Service is a reciprocal relationship between community and person.” 

B.A., Spanish Language & Hispanic Cultures

Diana Vazquez Centeno

Seaside, California

Community Partner: Palenke Arts

“My service learning experience has inspired me to keep making a difference in the educational trajectories of first-generation students like myself.”

B.A., Visual & Public Art

Koraima Castro

Salinas, California

Community Partner: Public Space in Salinas’ Chinatown

“Service Learning has inspired me to incorporate community issues into my career as an artist.”

B.S., Business Administration

Angelina Benavides

Greenfield, California

Community Partner: Greenfield Library

“I will encourage those around me to seek ways in which they can serve their community. I will also find ways to continue to serve those in underserved areas.”

B.S., Sustainable Hospitality Management

Ruben Larios, Jr.

Spartanburg, South Carolina

Community Partner: Salinas Public Library Literacy Program

“I always knew I wanted to collaborate and work with individuals my whole life. Working with people from different backgrounds only reinforced that I was made for my major. Service is what I do.”

B.S., Human Development & Family Studies

Simone The

Eastvale, California

Community Partner: Veterans Transition Center

“Service learning solidified my desire to work for a non-profit, working directly with people in need as a case manager.”

B.A., Liberal Studies

Jordan Armstrong

Santa Cruz, California

Community Partner: KinderCare Champions at Brook Knoll Elementary School

“My service has continued to make me more confident working with children. They are the future of our world, and giving them the knowledge and confidence to move through the world will continue to push me toward becoming an educator.” 

B.A., Collaborative Health & Human Services

Talya Mainzer

Marina, California

Community Partner: Gateway Center of Monterey County

“My service helped me understand that systemic structures intended to serve certain communities are sometimes in conflict with practical service. It is necessary to be patient and creative in an effort to advocate as effectively as possible. I have become acutely aware that when providing services, never underestimate the capabilities of those being served.”

B.S., Kinesiology

Sarah Anaya

Oxnard, California

Community Partner: CSUMB’s Basic Needs

“Food is an essential part of life, and with the Basic Needs mission to ensure the students of CSUMB have food, it allows the students to have one less worry in their life. It allows the students to focus on their studies.”

B.S., Nursing

Amelia Martinez

Salinas, California

Community Partner: Interim, Inc.

“I gained a further understanding of social justice and civic growth through service learning. In addition, I have developed an appreciation of the importance of being involved in improving the quality of life of others through advocacy.”

B.S., Agricultural Plant & Soil Sciences

Rosalinda Luna Razo

Salinas, California

Community Partner: Olinga

“I will continue sharing with new generations the importance of agriculture. Advocating for our region's future workforce has become a meaningful goal in my career.”

B.S., Biology

Raquel Gonzalez Ortiz 

Ontario, California

Community Partner: Dorothy’s Place

“Having the opportunity to be a service learner has brought me closer to what I stand for and my purpose in life.”

B.S., Communication Design

Madelyne Willey

Tehachapi, California

Community Partner: Foundation for Monterey County Free Libraries

“This experience has shown me that I can combine my love of design with my passion to serve the community. I will be looking for more opportunities to use my skill set to serve the community around me.”

B.S., Computer Science

Matthew Fernandez

Gilroy, California

Community Partner: Seaside Creates

“Developing a relational database for the city of Seaside Planning Department has given me the real-world experience to develop for the industry with confidence while being able to serve the community.”

B.S., Environmental Science, Technology & Policy

Bibiana Carrazco

Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

Community Partner: Regeneracion Pajaro Valley Climate Action

“I understand that service builds community, and it is a mutually beneficial experience that allows for collaboration and personal growth. I am proudly representing the Hispanic and Latinx community in everything I do but particularly on issues of environmental justice.”

B.A., Environmental Studies

Jacob Morales

Los Angeles, California

Community Partner: Communities For Sustainable Monterey County

“This work expanded my service perspectives by linking me to the people that truly care about environmental equity within Monterey County and has allowed me to build relationships with like-minded individuals in order to ensure our communities remain champions of diversity and environmental justice.”

B.S., Marine Science

Cydney Hampton

Vallejo, California

Community Partner: "At Home Service"

“This experience has made me more patient with people, more caring, and definitely more understanding that everyone has struggles, even if they are silent about them.”

B.S., Mathematics

Sandra Troncoso

Soledad, California

Community Partner: Salinas High School

“I feel more motivated to become a teacher, I see what these students need. I want to keep my students motivated and engaged so that they enjoy coming to class. I now know what is expected of me as a teacher, and I have gained a great colleague for the future that I can contact if I have questions.”

B.S., Statistics

Cody Leporini

Watsonville, California

Community Partner: First Tee Monterey

“This has influenced my career goals because it showed me how I can serve small businesses.”

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.

Alejandro Gómez; Service Learning Student, Music Major

Javier Tamayo; Executive Director of Alisal Center for the Fine Arts

Alejandro has taught and mentored East Salinas youth in introductory and intermediate-level guitar classes. For his civic action project, he introduced for the first time an advanced guitar ensemble that specializes in group work and performance. Alejandro’s longstanding partnerships with Alisal Center for the Fine Arts and other community arts organizations demonstrate his active engagement with core social justice values of authentic, collaborative, and reciprocal relationship

Since 2000, the Marian Penn Partnership Award has been presented annually to one faculty & community organization team that reflects the values of the Service Learning Institute and has made an exceptional contribution through service learning.

Dr. Angie Ngọc Trân; Political Economy Professor

Hector Azpilcueta; UNITE HERE Local 483

The relationship between Dr. Angie Tran and Unite Here Local 483 began at least 15 years ago.  Their relationship persevered through the pandemic, allowing students to join the union’s online leadership training.  Dr. Tran’s current Global Studies service learning course titled Sweat, Service, & Solidarity examines labor rights, particularly migrant worker rights, unionization, and labor mobilizing in the U.S. and other countries. Finding local organizers to bring these global issues to life was imperative for Dr. Tran. Unite Here Local 483 was a no-brainer, particularly because they represent the service workers here on campus. This semester, 4 students have held over 200 face-to-face meetings and called over 500 union members from local hotels. The purpose is to ensure members have a primary care physician, have appointments for care, and know how to access union benefits like insurance. This partnership is possible because of the deep concern, empathy, communication, follow-through, and trust in each other that has developed over time between professor and organization.