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Meet the 2024-2025��CBL Interns!

Seneca Baldi '26

Hi! My name is Seneca and I am a junior economics major from Bedford, NH. I was exposed to CBL in my first class at �������� during my Montserrat seminar, "Protest and Perception" with Professor Maughan-Brown. I was lucky enough to spend my first year at St. Mary Health Care Center in the memory care unit where I was exposed to issues of inequality for elderly people. Last year, I volunteered at the St. Francis Xavier Center at St. John's Parish where I built relationships with people struggling with housing and food insecurity, and I look forward to returning in the spring when I get back from my semester in Washington, D.C. Both experiences have allowed me to form connections with people I otherwise would not have met at ��������. My favorite part about being a CBL Intern is connecting students with community partners who share their similar values and having meaningful discussions about our experiences with CBL. Outside of CBL, I am a Co-Chair of the �������� Dance Marathon, a part of SGA, and I work at the Jo!

Pronouns: she/her/hers

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Rachel Derocco ‘25

Hello! My name is Rachel and I am a Neuroscience major from Utica, New York! This is my second year as an intern for the CBL program and I would love to share with you the reasons why this program is so important to me. I have been a participating student of the CBL program for the past three years and I am so grateful to share this opportunity with all students at ��������. My introduction to CBL began with my Montserrat seminar that focused on the societal constructs of birth and death of people with different life experiences and of different cultural backgrounds. I immediately fell in love with the chance to see how our books and articles translated to real life experience. I visited weekly with palliative care patients in nursing homes and got to speak to them about their life and their stories. As we reminisced, I learned so much about myself and them that I would not have been able to understand just from reading about it. As I continue my journey as a volunteer and intern, I hope to help other students find gratitude in this opportunity to explore Worcester and the social justice issues that exist throughout the city. I am excited to educate others about this program as an intern and help others find their place in the Worcester community and how they can work alongside wonderful resource programs for the people of Worcester.

Pronouns: she/her

Ashley Garcia Quitero '25

Hello everyone! My name is Ashley Garcia Quiterio, a senior this year which is so crazy to think about. I am a Spanish major with an Education minor from Minneapolis, Minnesota, a proud to be Mexican and bilingual as well. I was first introduced to CBL during Professor Fritz's Montserrat course and my Spanish 302 course, "Español Para Hispanohablantes". For my CBL sites, I helped out at a Catholic Worker House called the Mustard Seed and I was a tutor at Ascentria tutoring high school refugee students. In my second year, I volunteered with WPS-Adult Learning Center being a teacher ESL assistant around the classroom that allowed me to grow but more importantly connects with the students in a deeper level. Working with all these non-profits opened up windows for new passions of wanting to spread the greatness of doing service with others. During my last year, I hope to meet the new interns, grow as an Intern and continue to grow within me.

Shane Fitzpatrick ‘25

Hi, my name is Shane! I'm an Environmental Studies Major from Long Island, NY. My introduction to CBL at �������� was through my Montserrat, "Identity, Diversity, and Community." I was lucky enough to do my CBL placement for my whole first year with WPS Transition, a program run by Worcester Public Schools to help young adults with disabilities develop life and job skills. I had so much fun spending time with the young adults from WPS, and came to call many of the students my friends by the end of the year. Class reflections on our CBL placements around Worcester helped me to learn�� about myself, my relationship to service and to my community, as well as about larger social justice issues. I'm so excited to be able to contribute to this program in a new way as an intern in the rest of my time on the hill!

Pronouns: they/them/theirs

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Laura Hofmann '26

Hi! My name is Laura Hofmann (she/her) and I am from Farmington, Connecticut. I am a Psychology major with minors in Neuroscience and Deaf Studies. I first got involved with CBL in my freshman year Montserrat course, “Worcester Stories,” where I worked on a project with Pernet Family Health Services to bring an accessible easter egg hunt to children and families in Worcester. I also have participated in two CBL placements as part of my Deaf Studies curriculum. In the fall of my Sophomore year, I worked with Central Mass Deaf Senior Citizens Center, Inc. where I played bingo with Deaf senior citizens and built relationships with members at the center while practicing my language skills. The following semester, I was placed with DeafYES! where I worked on a research team that studied access to mental health resources for the Deaf community. I have loved forming connections with members of the Worcester community and exploring new places in the city! Outside of CBL, I am a member of the college orchestra and am a cookie baker at Campion House. I am excited to start my role as a CBL intern and continue my passion for volunteering with Worcester organizations!

Lily Jaramillo '26

Hi! My name is Lily, and I'm a junior from Vero Beach, Florida. I was first introduced to CBL in Professor Maughan-Brown's Montserrat seminars, "Perception" and "Protest." I traveled to Girls Inc. of Worcester for two semesters to assist with their after-school program. Through CBL, I could make connections with class content I otherwise would not have. The weekly visits became an essential part of my learning. The experience showed me how service can affect my education and introduced me to the Worcester community. One of the biggest draws to the program for me is the level of intentionality amongst CBL students throughout their engagement. It challenges me to continue to learn about what it means to be a person for and with others. I am excited to join the team of interns and help share the program with all �������� students!

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Anna Kerns ‘26

Hi! My name is Anna, and I'm a junior mathematics and economics major from Point of Rocks, Maryland. I was first introduced to CBL in Professor Jenkins' Montserrat course, "Identity, Diversity, Community, and Leadership." Here, I volunteered weekly in a kindergarten classroom at Woodland Academy, where I discovered a new passion for child development, and strengthened my interests in community service. Working with children gave me a hopeful perspective on the world, and taught me patience. I was also lucky to take part in a Spring Break Immersion Program, traveling to Flint, Michigan and learning all about the character of the city, and the people in it. Through these experiences, I was able to form meaningful connections that benefitted me as equally as it did the people I was serving. It connected me to the true meaning of the Jesuit mission, being a person "for, and with others." These opportunities encouraged me to apply to be a CBL intern, and continue building new relationships, and encouraging other students to do the same, for the rest of my college experience.

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Luke Letizia ‘25

Hello, my name is Luke, and I am a senior majoring in Chemistry. I am from Guilford, Connecticut, but I am proud to call �������� my home away from home. I am an EMT and Medical Assistant and I continue to volunteer at Yale New Haven Hospital in the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit. I was first introduced to CBL during my freshman year Montserrat course, “Theology of Making,” with Professor Fritz. Throughout the year, I profoundly enjoyed my work within the Worcester community, precisely my time with our community partner, The Mustard Seed. Having had such a rewarding experience with CBL, I was inspired to continue my work with The Mustard Seed through Spud during my sophomore year, which subsequently led me to inquire more about CBL. In the spring of my sophomore year, I took my second CBL class with Professor Avila-Bront, where we worked with our community partner, Girls Inc. Not only did I have the privilege of presenting on this course at the academic conference, but it allowed me to learn a great deal more about other dynamic CBL courses. Most recently I continued my work with the Mustard Seed and worked with WPS Transition program. I am incredibly excited to continue working with other community partners, along with fellow students who share the same love for the Worcester community and for the valuable experiences that CBL has to offer.

Pronouns: he/him/his

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Miyuki Oblitas '27

Hello, my name is Miyuki! I am a sophomore Sociology and Spanish double major from Larchmont, New York. I am so happy to have been introduced to CBL during my freshman year through my second-semester Spanish 302 course, “Español Para Hispañohablantes” with Prof. Ugarte. I volunteered weekly at Club E, an adult English as a second language program. Welcomed by individuals of various cultures and experiences, I was proud to support their English-learning journey and share my Peruvian-American background. I am grateful that I built relationships with the staff and students while developing skills that will help me with on-campus experiences. Overall, I am very excited to begin my first year as a CBL intern and engage with other impactful individuals who share similar passions! I look forward to learning more about Worcester and being able to support CBL students!

Beatriz Ortega '27

Hi! My name is Beatriz and I am from Providence, Rhode Island. I am currently a sophomore double majoring in political science and history. I first learned about CBL through my class called "Everyday Spirituality" led by Professor Sullivan. I volunteer at St. Mary's Hospice care center which is a nursing home for the elderly. What moved me to become an intern was not just my experience at the nursing home but it was the conversations I would have with my friends and peers about their experiences at different sites. I loved seeing the similarities and differences between our experiences, but it made me realize the way people would sometimes talk about the people and the sites which makes me want to do something more. Such as educating others on the importance of CBL and how to make a positive experience out of it.

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Catherine Pfau ‘25

Hello! My name is Cate and I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin. I am a senior majoring in Political Science and minoring in Education, along with a Peace and Conflict Studies Concentration. I was luckily introduced to CBL my freshman year through my Montserrat, “Embodied Activism”. I volunteered at Girls Inc., an after school program for girls in Worcester. My CBL quickly became a highlight of my week! As a CBL Intern last year, I spent my time with the young adults in the Worcester Public Schools Transition Program! WPS Transition is catered towards young adults with intellectual disabilities as I have been able to lead educational, social, and productive activities. Creating meaningful and lasting friendships with the young adults in the program showed me the power of community. I am looking forward to another year of continuing my passion for social justice and community engagement with a great team of interns!��

​�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċPronouns: she/her/hers

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Rina Ren '27

Hello, my name is Tingxuan Ren, and I come from Shenzhen, China. I go by Rina. I am a sophomore majoring in Psychology with minors in Education and Studio art. I first got involved with CBL through my freshman Monserrat course "Everyday Spirituality" taught by Professor Sullivan. During my freshman year, I went to Woodland Academy to tutor elementary school students in math every week. Combining what I learned in Monserrat with my volunteering experience, I realized my passion for community service work and social justice. I am very excited to be a CBL Intern this year and can't wait to engage with other community members in my upcoming work and activities.

Alana Santhouse '27

Hi! My name is Alana and I am a sophomore majoring in psychology with an Italian minor from Wethersfield, CT. I took Professor Jenkins' “Identity, Diversity, and Community” course as my Montserrat, where I volunteered weekly at St. Mary's Health Care Center in Worcester. During my time there I formed bonds with residents and staff members by leading group exercises and holding one-on-one conversations, and I am so grateful for the sharing of knowledge and stories I got to experience through these exchanges. I found the CBL component of my Montserrat to be very beneficial to my learning and overall personal growth, as I was able to connect our class themes about human relationships and discrimination with the personal accounts I heard from people at St. Mary’s. Through the CBL intern program, I hope to continue building connections and I’m excited to work with the other interns and the Donelan Office as a whole to provide more students with the opportunity to get involved with the greater Worcester community!

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Erica Schofield '25

I’m Erica Schofield and I'm a junior Chemistry major with a Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies concentration on the pre-health track from Wayland, MA. My first CBL experience was during my first year at �������� with my Montserrat course, “Embodied Activism”. For the duration of my first year, I volunteered at Girls Inc., an after school program for girls in Worcester. I fell in love with Girls Inc. and CBL, and after attending the Non-Profit Careers Conference, I decided to apply to be a CBL intern! Girls Inc. has been my community partner ever since! I am passionate about social justice, community engagement, and serving for the right reasons in a way that facilitates dignity and mutual benefit.

​�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċPronouns: she/her/hers

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Megan Yee ‘25

Hello! My name is Megan, and I am a senior biology major and neuroscience minor from Needham, Massachusetts. My first experience with CBL was through Professor O’Donnell’s Montserrat course, “Republics of Liberty" where I volunteered at the Abby’s House Thrift Shop. The shop provides affordable clothing and accessories to raise funds that support homeless and low-income women. Through my interactions with community members, I discovered that the Abby’s House mission is empowering to its recipients, and being involved is empowering to me. I have also been involved with St. Mary Health Care Center and Girls Inc. This year as a CBL intern, I am very excited to continue learning about Worcester through further community engagement!

​�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċPronouns: she/her/hers

Courtney Yockel ‘25

My name is Courtney and I am from Bethesda, Maryland. I am a senior majoring in biology with a minor in environmental studies and I am excited to begin my third year as a CBL intern. I became involved in CBL through Professor O’Donnell’s Montserrat course “Republics of Liberty”. During my first year at ��������, I volunteered at Woodland Academy in a third-grade classroom once a week. Volunteering at Woodland complemented my past experiences working as an assistant teacher for the nonprofit, Horizons Greater Washington. Last year I had a significant experience volunteering at St. John’s Parish making breakfast and cooking omelettes for Worcester residents in need of a hot meal. This summer I interned at the Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington’s Newcomer Navigator Network where I gathered important resources, shadowed case workers at one of the program’s shelters for the temporary housing of migrants, and devised solutions to better the ability of the organization to support its clients. I am confident that the skills I have developed by volunteering with various partner organizations in Worcester and my summer experiences interning for nonprofits in DC and Maryland, will help me lead and support CBL students as they reflect on their experiences.​�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċ

​�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċ�ċPronouns: she/her/hers