For some of South Los Angeles’ neediest kids, getting a college degree can seem downright unachievable.

Wanting to increase the odds for these at-risk youths, students from the USC School of Social Work and the USC Caruso Catholic Center established the USC Inner City Tutoring (ICT) Program to give them a shot at academic success and help them plan futures they thought they’d never have. The ICT Program partners USC student tutors with local Catholic elementary schools to provide instruction on subjects tailored to each school population’s unique needs, ranging from core subjects such as math, language arts and sciences, to extra-curricular activities like sports, drama and robotics.

“Many believe that USC is an ivory tower in the midst of South Central Los Angeles. Having an MSW intern from USC manage a program that works with inner-city schools breaks down the notion that this university is unattainable for youth who grew up in this area,” said Rosie Shawver, director of Campus Ministry at the USC Caruso Catholic Center.

Taking flight

Started in 2014, the ICT Program quickly grew from the efforts of then-MSW student and program director Sasha Speakman, who used her community organizing, planning and administration skills to conduct needs assessments at each partner school, create a framework for the program and recruit USC students as tutors.

“It was definitely intimidating at first. I felt like I was flying the plane while simultaneously building it,” she said.

But build it she did. In a short time, Speakman was able to cultivate successful partnerships between Catholic schools and USC tutors, and even created a manual so the program could continue past its inaugural year. The 35-page program manual includes the program’s mission, measurable goals, orientation procedures, outreach strategies, program rules, needs assessment guides and tutor database instructions. She also designed a survey to evaluate the program and identify gaps, which was distributed to both school administrators and USC tutors. She even created “reflection sessions,” where tutors come together to get to know each other, network, share their experiences and discuss areas of improvement.

What began with two partner schools in the South Los Angeles community and a roster of 30 USC student tutors has since grown to five partner schools and more than 50 USC student tutors.

Though Speakman has since graduated, she remains connected to the ICT Program as a consultant and mentor to the new MSW intern, Julianne Arguello.

“I see how the ICT Program impacts both our tutors and the school kids,” Arguello said. “Our tutors act as mentors who provide guidance, patience and consistency. They have such a positive impact on the kids they teach. Meanwhile, tutors themselves benefit by going beyond their comfort zone, immersing themselves in unfamiliar territory beyond USC walls. One of our tutors now serves as the robotics team coach and student liaison at a partner school – it’s absolutely amazing to see how much trust and responsibility they’ve bestowed upon her.”

Finding the perfect fit

Through developing, managing and evaluating social outreach programs such as ICT, MSW students have the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in a real-life setting.

“It’s a dual capacity-building relationship. I’ve worked with both Sasha and Julianne, and they are stellar individuals who are very much engaged in the learning process. They think outside of the box and aren’t afraid to be creative and innovative,” said Vivien Villaverde, clinical associate professor of field education at the School of Social Work. “While the USC Caruso Catholic Center provided them a significant learning opportunity to connect theory to practice, Sasha’s and Julianne's unique skill sets played an integral role in the establishment of the ICT Program.”

MSW students acquire skills in their foundation year that make them a perfect fit to run the program. They can assess individual and organizational needs, and are able to set specific goals as well as develop strategic plans based on both assessments, offering a comprehensive approach that incorporates a breadth of societal factors.

“As MSW candidates, we’re able to work with USC student tutors to identify which systemic barriers and challenges inner-city students are faced with on a daily basis, and how to be aware of them and empathic to the students they tutor,” Arguello said.

She has also experienced significant hands-on professional development through her work with campus recruitment, planning and organizing information sessions, and making site visits at partner schools to update their individual tutoring plans.

“My internship has been essential to my career development because I’m learning how to meet the needs of parties with varying interests,” Arguello said. “Professor Villaverde always highlights the importance of transferring our micro skills into a macro setting, and that’s the opportunity I’ve been given here with the ICT Program. Connecting all the dots is what makes this internship so fulfilling.”

What the future holds

As it enters its second full year, the ICT Program continues its mission of fostering academic achievement in children so they are inspired to achieve educational goals that previously seemed out of reach.

“The tutoring and mentorship that youth receive through the ICT Program has been crucial to their self-confidence,” said Mark Spratt, MSW/MPA ’03, a USC School of Social Work Board of Councilors member who also serves as external field instructor for MSW interns at the USC Caruso Catholic Center.

“If we can continue to support students in inner-city elementary schools, we may someday break the cycle of poverty through education.”