Stories

Julia Kovatch '23, a history major with minors in political science and urban education, was named a Cleveland Foundation Public Service Fellow.

The Cleveland Foundation is a philanthropic organization that works with "donors to build community endowment, address needs through grantmaking, and provide leadership on key community issues" in the greater Cleveland, Ohio area. Their fellowship "immerses talented, emerging leaders from across the country in the work of Cleveland’s public sector, providing them an opportunity to develop their skills, enhance their networks, and jumpstart a career in public service."

About this opportunity, Julia said, "I am excited to have a cohort of fellows to share this experience with as we navigate the next year together. I also look forward to the many networking opportunities that the fellowship will provide so that I can get to know civic leaders in Cleveland and conduct informational interviews to explore different career paths."

The fellowship includes 12-month, full-time employment in a Cleveland, professional development opportunities, individualized coaching, and immersion in Cleveland civic life. Julia will be placed in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. "I am excited to learn more about public education administration through my placement," said Julia, "but I will remain open to other interests and opportunities as they come up. Ultimately, I see this fellowship as a year-long learning opportunity to get to know myself and my goals better." 

Julia credits her interdisciplinary undergraduate education with playing an important role in her call to public service. "I think the combination of disciplines I studied at SCU (history, political science, and urban education) played the greatest role in shaping my sense of vocation," said Julia. "I have always been passionate about education, but I gained a greater sense of the many factors that have shaped our education system through connections I drew between classes in history, political science, psychology, and child studies. This drew me to public service because I want to use my career to address the systemic issues that I have learned about."

Julia was also a finalist for the San Francisco Fellows program, before withdrawing to accept the Cleveland Foundation fellowship. You can learn more about San Francisco Fellows here and the Cleveland Foundation Public Service Fellowship here.