CHCI – McDonalds Higher Education Graduate Fellow
Hometown: Stockton, California
School: University of Southern California
Degrees: M.P.A. Public Administration
Placement 1: U.S. Senate Committee on Heath, Education, Labor and Pensions
Placement 2: Office of Rep. Eric Swalwell
A proud product of California’s Central Valley, an area best known for its farming industry and the birthplace of Latino-American civil rights activism, Mario Enríquez was able to move past obstacles common in a minority community. He received his Bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. Recently, he attained a masters of public administration from the USC Price School of Public Policy. His dreams, choices, and determination transformed the son of Mexican immigrants into a leader whose mission is to create opportunities for others to make the most of their abilities.
In 2010, Mario moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked for the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the nation’s largest Latino civil rights organization. After his youth advocacy work with NCLR, Mario was selected as a Coro Fellow of Public Affairs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With Coro, he joined a group committed to public service and ethical leadership to acquire cross-sector experience in nonprofit, government, and business sectors. Mario has had the opportunity to serve as a national speaker, workshop presenter, and host to various organizations and institutions of higher education.
Mario’s mission lies in fighting so that others may also reach their full potential. As a CHCI Graduate Fellow, he is most excited about the opportunity to develop the tools and professional experiences required to create national legislative change, and gain the skills needed to establish a youth leadership institute, a scholarship program, and run for elected office in the Central Valley.