This fellowship provided the perfect opportunity to transition into the start of my professional career, equipping me with the skills, experiences, and professional development needed to succeed in an analyst role, as well as providing an amazing cohort to learn alongside with. During my experience, I learned that there was more than one way to be a public servant and that there are many people and processes that allow the City to function the way it does. Through my placement, I learned to be comfortable with taking on tasks that I had no prior experience in or was unfamiliar with. As a result, I was able to expand my knowledge, build upon my skillset, and test my boundaries for growth. Because of my experience and the amount of opportunities for growth, I chose to continue working for the City and was able to stay in my placement at the Library.

Angel Castro (FY21-22) was placed at the SF Library.

At age 16, when I immigrated to the United States from Azerbaijan, San Francisco became my sanctuary city while the community embraced me as one of its own. The San Francisco Fellows program was the opportunity to give back to my community. I thought I’d be directly engaging with the community, but through my Fellowship, I learned that there is more than one way to serve the people. As a fellow at the Public Library, I have produced improved tools for the internal collection, storage, and dissemination of library data as well as producing data visualizations to promote greater data-driven decision-making within the organization. Now, I am a proud public servant and part of the glue that holds the city of 47 square miles and over 800,000 beating hearts together.

Zahir Mammadzada (FY21-22) was placed at the SF Public Library.

My experience with the San Francisco Fellows was an amazing educational experience. I was able to learn new hard and soft skills that helped with my overall professional development, learn more about the City and County of San Francisco, and build a strong bond with my cohort. I was provided with skills for making my resume stronger, classes to learn Power BI and Excel, and lessons for learning how to network in a professional setting. By working in my placement department, I received hands on experience for working in local government. By doing a City-Wide Project, I was able to have a taste of working in a different department and learning more about how that department operates. However, one of the most exciting parts of the fellowship was building lasting relationships with my cohort. Being able to learn from them and build meaningful connections with them made my Fellowship year more impactful.

Sydney Nobles (FY22-23) was placed at the Department of Children, Youth, and their Families.

The San Francisco Fellowship was a transformative experience for me. My background is in public health, but through this fellowship, I had the opportunity to explore other fields. In my placement at SFMTA, I learned about transit management, data analysis, and communication. My supervisor was committed to my growth and collaborated with me to identify projects that fit my professional goals. I also had the opportunity to work with MTA teams and collaborate interdepartmentally. In our weekly Fellow learning sessions, I learned more about City operations and San Francisco history, worked on peer-led projects, and networked with other City staff. My Fellowship cohort was one of my favorite parts of the fellowship. I loved having a network through which I could learn about what was happening in other departments, collectively problem solve, and share career-related information. One year after concluding my fellowship, I am still in touch with many of my fellow Fellows!

Karen Chen (FY22-23) was placed at the Municipal Transportation Agency.