Two Students, One Mission: How CAS Students Found Purpose Through Community Work
Through the REAL Program, Fernanda Castañeda Ruiz ’27 and Franco Garcia ’27 found purpose and professional growth by serving their community firsthand at Santa Maria Urban Ministry.
By Kate Vander Vort ’27
When Fernanda Castañeda Ruiz ’27 walked into Santa Maria Urban Ministry this summer, the work felt familiar.
Having immigrated from Mexico as a child, she recognized pieces of her own family’s story in the families who came seeking food, clothing, and household essentials. “There were times when employment was unstable, and we relied on churches and community organizations like Santa Maria to meet our basic needs,” she shared. Now, she found herself on the other side of that exchange, helping provide the same support her family once received.
Across the building, computer science major Franco Garcia ’27 was discovering his own connection to the work. What began as a summer internship quickly became something more. “It felt like a big family party,” he said of the volunteers’ monthly birthday celebrations and constant support for one another. “Everyone was there for each other.”
Both students served as Nonprofit Operations Assistants through ÃÛÌÒµ¼º½’s REAL Program, which funds summer opportunities that allow students to explore their interests and get a feel for future employment fields in real-world settings. At Santa Maria Urban Ministry, a nonprofit serving low-income individuals and families in the ÃÛÌÒµ¼º½ community, that work meant supporting daily operations while witnessing firsthand how nonprofits meet essential, everyday needs.
For Fernanda, a double major in biology and Spanish studies, the internship blended personal experience with professional growth. She focused on strengthening Santa Maria’s digital presence, updating the organization’s website and improving its Facebook page to make resources easier for families to access. She emphasized how critical digital communication can be, especially when information often travels through younger relatives who are active on social media.
Alongside her digital projects, Fernanda updated client records and assisted with customer service, gaining insight into the systems that sustain nonprofit work behind the scenes. The experience reaffirmed her goal of pursuing medicine rooted in accessibility and compassion.
For Franco, a computer science major with a minor in graphic design, the REAL program made participation possible. “Without the financial support, I wouldn’t have taken the internship,” he explained. The funding allowed him to gain hands-on experience while supporting himself.
At Santa Maria, Franco contributed to food box preparation, survey development, and client interviews. Drawing on his technical background, he also helped automate data collection and visualize client feedback to identify service gaps. Seeing how technology could improve efficiency and expand impact reshaped his understanding of how problem-solving skills translate beyond the classroom.
Though they arrived with different majors and motivations, both students left with a deeper appreciation for the coordination, care, and commitment required to sustain a nonprofit organization. More importantly, they gained clarity about how they want to show up in their future careers, whether in medicine, technology, or community leadership.
About the REAL Program
The REAL Program provides paid experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences. Developed to allow students to discover their interests, gain a rich understanding of a particular field, discern their career goals, and explore future employment fields, the program has distributed roughly $3.25 million to more than 860 students across all majors since its inception in 2018. Placements range from non-profit and community service organizations to research labs, governmental organizations, and beyond.