History
The Center was founded in 1967 as the Community Projects Office by a coalition of student service groups, and was known as “Cal Corps” until 2013. The PSC has grown at a remarkable rate and now supports nearly 200 student leaders and more than 5,000 students who partner with 250 community-based organizations each year. The Center builds student leadership skills, helps students find their passion and purpose, enhances the capacity of our community partners, and lifts up the public service mission of the University. For the past 50 years our organization has served as the heart of civic engagement and the public service voice at Berkeley.
Mission
The Public Service Center brings together students, faculty, and communities to harness their collective wisdom in support of social justice, civic engagement, and transformative social change.
Vision
We envision a world where society’s intellectual, educational, economic, and social resources are accessible to all.
Values
The Center is guided by five core values that shape our approach to public service at UC Berkeley.
Experiential & Reflective Learning
We believe people learn best through hands-on learning coupled with intentional reflection. This “praxis” offers each of us — students, scholars, and community members — an opportunity to explore social issues grounded in our own communities, academic disciplines, and personal experiences. Through this process we also learn about our own values and strengths, deepening our ability to take intentional action.
Collaboration & Commitment
We believe the challenges facing our communities are complex, and can only be addressed through long-term, sustainable relationships. Our work relies heavily on relationships with community partners, students, staff, and faculty. These relationships take time to build and require continuous investment and renewal. We are committed to the process required for successful collaboration and seek to form mutually beneficial partnerships for long-term community impact.
Community Wisdom
We believe wisdom comes from lived experience and so community members can be some of our best teachers. We rely on our community partners’ strategic wisdom to help us identify community assets and needs, and we value our community partners as co-educators who support student learning in ways the classroom cannot.
Student Agency
We believe in the power and possibility of students taking action. Students can use their privileged position to serve others and contribute to wider movements for social justice. We value student passions, talents, ideas, and experiences and believe in their capacity to be successful change agents and leaders.
Equity & Social Justice
We believe societal structures tend to privilege the powerful. Without the intentional actions of individuals, the needs of those with fewer resources are overlooked. We believe that there are enough resources to meet the basic needs of all, and to enable each person to live a full life with dignity. UC Berkeley has a responsibility to promote the general welfare and to challenge inequitable policies and systems.
Contact Us
Visit Us
We are located at 218 Eshleman Hall.
Mail Us
Our mailing address is:
UC Berkeley Public Service Center
2465 Bancroft Way, Suite 218
Berkeley, CA 94720-4500
Phone Us
510.642.3916
Email Us
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