Meet the 2023-2024 CBL Interns!
Seneca Baldi '26
Hi! My name is Seneca and I am a sophomore economics major from Bedford, NH. I was exposed to CBL in my first class at Holy Cross during my Montserrat seminars, "Protest" and “Perception" with Professor Maughan-Brown. I was lucky enough to keep my CBL placement for my entire first year at St. Mary Health Care Center in the memory care unit. My experience widened my perspective on what social justice looks like for elderly in need of care and allowed me to form relationships with people I otherwise would not have met. I am looking forward to getting involved with other communities in Worcester and sharing my love for CBL with other Holy Cross students. Outside of CBL, I am a co-chair of Feminist Forum and am working to get a business certificate. I am super excited to start as a CBL Intern this year!
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Catherine Cannamela ‘24
Hi! My name is Catherine and I’m a senior psychology major from Wethersfield, Connecticut. I was first introduced to CBL during my freshman year through my Montserrat course called, “Identity, Diversity, and Community” with Professor Ryan. For my CBL, I virtually visited with an elderly resident of Medway Manor, a nursing and rehabilitation facility in Worcester, where I facilitated creative memory engagement and became more educated and involved in social justice issues surrounding elderly healthcare. In my sophomore year, I tutored Spanish-speaking refugee students at Ascentria Care Alliance as a part of my “Latin American Culture” class, which allowed me to combine my classroom learning about migration with real-life interactions with children who migrated to the United States.mSince then, I’ve been leading educational, artistic, and fitness activities with students in the Worcester Public Schools Transition Program, allowing me to further explore my interest in disability studies. I love having a home in the Donelan Office of Community-Based Learning and am so grateful that I’ve joined their community of compassionate students and faculty!
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Diana Chavez Cruz ‘24
Hi! My name is Diana Chavez Cruz, and I am from Falls Church, VA. I am majoring in economics with a minor in education and a concentration in Latinx Studies. I was introduced to CBL through Professor Franco's course, “Filmmaking in Spanish.” In this course, I created a ten-minute film for a nonprofit called El Buen Samaritano and showcased their work and dedication to fighting food insecurity in the Worcester community. Working closely with El Buen Samaritano, I became inspired to apply to the Marshall Memorial Fund to support their mission. Fortunately, the Donelan Office selection committee accepted my proposal, and I was able to purchase winter apparel for EBS's winter clothing drive. With my amazing experience working with EBS, I look forward to working with different organizations in the Worcester Community and supporting their missions.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Rachel Derocco ‘25
Hello! My name is Rachel and I am a neuroscience major from Utica, New York! I am joining the CBL program as an intern for so many reasons that I would love to share with you. I have been a participating student of the CBL program for the past two years and I am so grateful to share this opportunity with all students at Holy Cross. 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, their stories, and 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. The connections I formed were memorable and I was honored. 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 see things and meet people they would not have been able to see or meet otherwise. I am excited to educate others about this program as an intern and help others find their place in the Worcester community!
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Shane Fitzpatrick ‘25
Hi, my name is Shane! I'm an Environmental Studies Major from Long Island, NY. My introduction to CBL at Holy Cross 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
Anna Kerns ‘26
Hi! My name is Anna, and I'm a sophomore math 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 next three years.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Luke Letizia ‘25
Hello, my name is Luke, and I am a junior majoring in Chemistry. I am from Guilford, Connecticut, but I am proud to call Holy Cross my home away from home. I recently became an EMT, 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 last year's academic conference, but it allowed me to learn a great deal more about other dynamic CBL courses. 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
Anthony Mabardy ‘24
My name is Anthony and I am a senior political science major and anthropology minor from Lexington, Massachusetts. My first experience with CBL was in Professor Lipsitz’s Montserrat course, “The Science of Happiness”. This past year I tutored elementary school students from Worcester East Middle School. By applying my knowledge of the course and my experiences as a CBL Intern, I was able to make meaningful relationships with the students. Having this experience was consistently the highlight of my week. This inspired me to become more involved with CBL and the values of the program. This coming year, I am looking forward to being a classroom facilitator for some of the CBL courses and having the opportunity to connect with other students who have similar interests and experiences. This will allow me to have a space to share my experiences as well as learn from those of my peers.
Pronouns: he/him/his
Fernanda Perez-Alvarez '24
Hi everyone! My name is Fernanda and I'm a senior majoring in Biology and concentrating in Latin America, Latinx, and Caribbean studies (LALC). I was born and raised in San Jose, California. I am Mexican-American (Chicana) as well as bilingual. I was first introduced to CBL through my Spanish 302 class, "Español Para Hispañohablantes" with Prof. Cañigueral Batllosera. Sadly I took this course my first semester during the pandemic (when it was still relatively "new"), and it was a bit difficult to get in touch with some students and volunteer my time. However, my first year as a CBL intern,I was able to work remotely with Ascentria tutoring refugee kids ranging from the ages of 14-17. I enjoyed being a part of this placement and working with the kids to improve their English language skills! This past year I was able to volunteer with Girls Inc, an after school program located in Worcester! Although I am sad this will be my last year as a CBL Intern, I am extremely excited to meet all the new CBL interns and learn even about more non-profits in Worcester. During my senior year, I look forward to learning and growing both as a CBL Intern and as a whole person.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Catherine Pfau ‘25
Hello! My name is Cate and I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin. I am a junior 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. Girls Inc. quickly became a highlight of my week! I love and support their mission statement of inspiring all girls to be “strong, smart, and bold” and really enjoyed forming meaningful relationships within the Worcester community. I made direct connections between my class discussions in Montserrat and my time volunteering. Along with Girls Inc., I have been involved in a variety of other nonprofits during my time at Holy Cross that led me to be passionate about social justice and community engagement. I am looking forward to being a CBL Intern and connecting with the Holy Cross and 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 from Wayland, MA. My first CBL experience was during my first year at Holy Cross with my Montserrat course, “Embodied Activism”. For the duration of my first year, I volunteered at Girls Inc., an after school program 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! I am passionate about social justice, community engagement, and serving for the right reasons in a way that facilitates dignity. In the fall of 2022, I worked with Professor Avila-Bront, Dr. Jenkins, and my classmate and now fellow CBL intern, Luke Letizia, to create a STEM-CBL course. In the spring of 2023, the idea was made a reality with our class, CHEM299. During the semester, we learned about educational psychology and pedagogy while working with students from Girls Inc and conducting weekly science experiments!
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Delaney Walch ‘24
Hey! My name is Delaney (she/her) and I’m from Palmer, MA. I am a senior neuroscience major with a concentration in gender, sexuality, and women’s studies. My first experience with CBL was through Professor Ryan’s Montserrat course, “Identity, Diversity, and Community,” where I collaborated with the WPS Transition Program to create educational panels on ableism in healthcare. Engaging with the Worcester community through CBL has been an invaluable component of my Holy Cross experience. The lessons I've learned and the relationships I've built while volunteering continue to illuminate how I wish to be a person for and with others. Outside of CBL, I can be found dancing as a co-chair of Fusion Hip-Hop Dance Team or pursuing my passions for reproductive justice, disability rights, and social justice. From the Donelan Office to beyond the gates of Holy Cross, I am excited to continue engaging with these wonderful communities during my last year as an intern!
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Megan Yee ‘25
Hello! My name is Megan, and I am a junior biology major and neuroscience minor from Needham, Massachusetts. I was first introduced to CBL through Professor O’Donnell’s Montserrat course, “Republics of Liberty”. Throughout my first year at Holy Cross, I volunteered weekly 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. During my second year, I volunteered at St. Mary Health Care Center, a rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility for the elderly. I’m grateful for the opportunities to engage and build relationships with residents through one-on-one conversations and recreational activities. This year as a CBL intern, I am very excited to continue learning about Worcester through further community engagement!
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Courtney Yockel ‘25
My name is Courtney and I am from Bethesda, Maryland. I am a junior majoring in biology with a minor in environmental studies and am excited to begin my second 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 Holy Cross, I volunteered once a week at Woodland Academy in a third grade classroom. Volunteering at Woodland complimented my past experiences working as an assistant teacher for the nonprofit, Horizons Greater Washington. Last spring I had a great experience volunteering at the Mustard Seed Catholic Worker. This summer I interned at A Wider Circle, a nonprofit organization that places an emphasis on a more holistic approach to ending poverty in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. I am confident that the skills I have developed and all I learned at Woodland Academy, the Mustard Seed, and A Wider Circle will help me lead and support CBL students as they reflect on their experiences.
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