USF College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate student Annabelle Folsom says that her academic degree choices are driven by a “desire to make a positive impact in the world.”
Annabelle Folsom is in her junior year minoring in public service and leadership. (Photo courtesy of Annabelle Folsom)
“As I was deciding what I wanted to study in college, I knew that I wanted to find something that would help me help others,” Folsom said. “I chose my major by considering what field could teach me how to help others the most. I decided that politics was best because everything and everyone is affected by them.”
Folsom, who is majoring in political science, decided to couple her degree with a minor from the School of Public Affairs’ (SPA) public service and leadership (PSL) program to give herself a career edge and learn the vital skills she needed to make a “service-oriented” impact for the “greater public good.”
“I enrolled in the public service and leadership minor to learn about being a leader in the public sector and gain the tools needed to be effective and create a positive impact in my future career,” she said.
The PSL minor is open to students of any major and prepares them for ways to “give back” in their respective career fields.
Every field is affected by public policy and every profession has its own unique opportunities to make a difference to “serve the greater good,’” according to Dr. Jocilyn Martinez, SPA undergraduate program coordinator for the PSL minor.
She says a minor in PSL prepares students to lead in complex organizational environments, to work effectively in crisis and overcome pressing issues facing the community through teamwork and innovation.
Classes are available both online and in person and students are provided hands-on opportunities to engage in real-world scenarios to put those skills to work with organizations.
Two such programs are the Legislative Internship Program and Tallahassee Internship Program where students engage with local and state elected officials depending on their specific areas of interest.
“These classes have given me very tangible skills that I will use in my future career.”
“The minor in public service and leadership is unique because it is relevant to virtually every major offered at USF,” Martinez explained. “The possibilities are limitless because every major leads to jobs that serve the public interest, and the minor teaches students how to do so effectively. A minor in public service and leadership from USF will prepare students for unique opportunities to give back and serve the greater good, whatever a student's field or profession.”
Folsom said the minor has added to her repertoire of skills as a public servant because of the hands-on experiences she’s obtained from her minor classes.
“Every class I have taken for the program, from Strategic Leadership in the Public Sector to Public Policy to Urban Studies, has been incredibly interesting and they are my favorite classes that I have taken at USF,” Folsom said. “These classes have given me very tangible skills that I will use in my future career. Also, every professor teaching these classes has been extremely helpful and passionate about public service.”
She said she highly recommends the PSL minor to anyone considering working with the public in any capacity, such as those in the government, health care, military or education fields.
Folsom participated in a national gathering of Student PIRGs leaders in the nation’s capital in November calling on members of Congress and leaders of the Environmental Protection Agency to take action on a range of different environmental topics such as: stronger restrictions on soot, reductions climate pollution from power plants, and protecting water from lead and toxic PFAS pollution. She also attended the announcement of the EPA’s National Environmental Youth Advisory Council along with other Student PIRGs. (Photo courtesy of Folsom)
“They should consider this program because it gives you the tools needed to work in public service, such as being ethical, being a leader, adapting to challenges, and serving others,” she said.
Folsom is currently the president of the USF chapter of Florida PIRG Students, a student organization that is part of a national network of nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations advocating for issues such as making college affordable, increasing the youth vote, helping the environment, and more.
“This semester I led our chapter through accomplishments such as passing a Student Government resolution for the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, registering students to vote, and lobbying in D.C. for climate action. This club has been a great complement to my PSL minor, as it has already given me experience in the public sector,” she said.
After she graduates in Spring 2025, Folsom said she hopes to work in local government or nonprofit work and is also considering obtaining her Master of Public Administration degree.
“Throughout my life, I have learned that everyone is affected by the government, and they deserve empathetic leaders working in it who care about their needs. I genuinely hope to be that person someday, and the PSL minor is definitely helping me work toward that,” she said.
Learn more about enrolling in the PSL minor.