How the Richter Center led Leah Rath to a career helping children and families
By ELISA NAVARRO, Student Writer
With a volunteer base of 14,863 students (just this past year), Fresno State is helping individuals serve the community through the Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning — with 20 distinct initiatives open to both students and alumni, the Richter Center is the first center of its kind in the CSU system.
Chris Fiorentino (1987), a Fresno State alum, is the Director of the Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning has worked at the center since its beginnings in 1993. He has seen the center grow, while making an impact not only in the community, but in students’ lives as well.
“Anytime [students] get involved with service — it gives them an opportunity to build their resume, develop their own skill set, to have experiences that advance their career skills, all of those things. And every student is different — every experience is different,” Fiorentino said.
“They can come and get involved in service work at any time. So if you walk into the office tomorrow, we could connect you with service experience that is most meaningful for you. Something related to your major or something that you just care about. Something that fits your schedule,” Fiorentino said.
Leah Rath (2012), is one of the thousands of Fresno State students who served as a student ambassador at the Richter Center. She said her life has been positively impacted by serving the community. When she began her undergraduate studies in 2008 and got involved with the Richter Center, she helped launch the center’s Ambassador Program.
“I had been deeply involved in community work at my high school, so for me, it was a nice transition. So, I think that my best memory of Fresno State would be that first day that we came together. I remember it so clearly because I sat with these people who were complete strangers and felt connected to everybody,” Rath said.
While working towards her bachelor’s in psychology, Rath, like many students, didn’t know what kind of career path to pursue. All she knew was that she wanted to help people. So in 2010 she began exploring volunteer opportunities and, through the Richter Center, found Exceptional Parents Unlimited Children’s Center (EPU).
“I had done a lot of work with people who had disabilities, and that’s really how EPU is known. So, I called and went there and had a tour, and I didn’t want to call any other agencies. That’s where I wanted to do volunteer work,” Rath said.
After receiving her bachelor’s degree, she was immediately hired in August of 2012 as the Children Services Coordinator at EPU. She was later promoted to a Family Education Specialist. After receiving her masters degree in Counseling from Fresno State in 2015, Rath began working as a Mental Health Clinician.
“It’s hard to imagine what my path would have been like had it not been for the Richter Center. So much support — and I saw so many students get the same support. The staff there is so passionate about this work.”
Thanks to working at the Richter Center, Rath was able to figure out the direction she wanted to take in life.
“I love my job… one of my favorite parts would be that even before I knew I wanted to work in the mental health field, I knew I wanted to do community work of some kind, specifically in the non-profit sector,” Rath said, “I’m really proud to be a part of that work.”
“We hear from a lot of different students and programs, but certainly students are telling us that their involvement in service is one of, if not, the most meaningful experiences while they’ve been in college,” Fiorentino said.
If you are interested in volunteering with the Richter Center, or would like to have students volunteer with a non-profit organization you are affiliated with, you can connect with the Richter Center through Facebook, or by calling (559) 278-7079.
