For the Greater Good

Three UC Santa Barbara students will get a rare look at how government works on both the federal and state levels thanks to UC Presidential Public Service Fellowships.

Paola De La Cruz, Daniel Eyal and Marjan Abubo are among 27 undergraduates from across the UC system who will participate in public service internships this fall in Washington, D.C. and in Sacramento.

Students from each of UC’s nine undergraduate campuses were selected for the fellowships based on their demonstrated commitment to civic engagement and public service. Each will receive a $2,500 stipend to offset incidental costs related to public service internships through the UC Washington Center (UCDC) or the UC Center Sacramento (UCCS).

UC President Janet Napolitano — a former Truman Scholar — created the fellowships in February to spur interest in public service careers, and to ensure that cost is not a barrier to student participation in federal or state internships.

“I am confident that your experience will be unlike any other providing you with firsthand exposure to the American political process, as well as valuable work experience,” Napolitano wrote in notes of congratulations to the inaugural class of UCDC and UCCS Presidential Public Service Fellows.

De La Cruz and Eyal will head east, to the nation’s capital, while Abubo’s fellowship takes him to Sacramento.

“We are extremely proud of our deserving undergraduate students who have been chosen for Presidential Public Service Fellowships,” said Linda Adler-Kassner, associate dean of undergraduate education at UCSB and director of UCSB’s Writing Program. “They are all more than qualified for this honor, and have demonstrated true passion for public service. We are thrilled to have them represent the UCSB community and we know these internships will help them flourish.”