The Sara Miller McCune Endowed Internship and Public Service Program is a year-long service-learning program for civic-minded 3rd and 4th year UCSB undergraduate students that brings students and community partners together for personal and social transformation. It provides students with opportunities to engage effectively with the local community on issues such as socioeconomic inequities, education, the environment, immigration, and more. This model of university-community partnership creates opportunities for students to connect their classroom learning with community service, translating theory into real-world experience. Local organizations benefit from the support of energetic, talented students who help them to meet their goals and fulfill their missions more effectively. The Sara Miller McCune Endowed Internship and Public Service Program fosters enriched learning through ethical collaborations that enable students to join with our local community in promoting equity and social change.
Prospective Applicants Click Here for More Information
2026-2027 Application Available April 2026
Current and Recent McCune Interns and Partner Organizations
2024-2025
Byron Chan, Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County
Sanil Chaudhari, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
Abigail Coleman, District Office of California State Assemblymember Gregg Hart
Kole Hicks, Women’s Economic Ventures
Eleanor Khan, Freedom 4 Youth
Liana Letsos, Santa Barbara Foundation
Cassidy Miller, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
Joana Perez, Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (CADA)
Guadalupe Sabino Vasquez, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE)
Victoria Sulak, LegacyWorks Group
Krishna Thaker, Planned Parenthood of California Central Coast
2023-2024
Isabelle Brady, Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County
Leilani Caulkins, Mosaic Therapy Collective
Emily Chowaniec, Santa Barbara Foundation
Fatima Garcia Vicente, District Office of California State Assembly Member Gregg Hart
Yueshan Gu, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Ashley Khowong, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
Lauren Kim, Santa Barbara Foundation
Ava Marks, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
Julia Palbaum, Planned Parenthood of California Central Coast
Iris Yuh, Los Padres Forest Watch
2022-2023
Kiley Beaart, The Oaks Parent-Child Workshop
Riddhima Chandra, Santa Barbara Response Network
Marea Gordon, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
Taylor MacEwen, SB ACT
Kendall Mundy, Planned Parenthood of California Central Coast
Hazel Naftzger, Santa Barbara Foundation
Jian Hong Shi, Environmental Defense Center
Kaitlyn Soto, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE)
Sydney Sullivan, AHA!
April Zhang, Los Padres Forest Watch
Click Here for a complete list of McCune Interns and Partner Organizations.
Guadalupe Sabino Vasquez, 2024-2025 Capps Center Intern at
Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE)
Lupe interned at CAUSE, a grassroots organization dedicated to social, economic, and environmental justice. Lupe began her internship thinking her future might include law school or social work, but through her experience, discovered a whole new field: urban planning. Her journey is a great reminder that internships can open doors beyond the usual suspects, introducing students to fields and roles they might never have considered.
Julia Barrera, 2021-2022 Capps Center Intern at
Wilderness Youth Project
Inspired by their experience connecting children to nature, Julia envisioned a community 'zine that would
showcase the beauty and wonder of our local wilderness as well as the incredible and inspiring ways in which
Wilderness Youth Project (WYP) connects children to our magnificent outdoor landscape. Julia and their mentor,
Lauren Winnewisser, together brought this vision to fruition in a 'zine called "The Heart of WYP".
