Can Compassionate Leadership Still Exist?
Moreno tables outside of Benson Memorial Hall to help educate the community on voter information. Photo by Isa Montes
What does it mean to be a compassionate leader? Last week, a student—talking vigorously with his hands and wearing a sweatshirt inscribed with “Broncos Supporting Broncos” across the chest—told me an impassioned story about just that.
Between being a student in Santa Clara University’s honors program, a Ciocca Center Mindset Scholar, a first-year senator in Associated Student Government and the marketing manager and merchandise visionary for the Santa Clara Community Action Program, Tiago Moreno ’28 certainly has a lot on his plate.
I sat down with him last week to discover what drives his activism, how he manages inevitable stress and where he finds moments for joy.
Moreno was raised in a community-service-driven family. “I’m lucky to have grown up in a household where volunteer work was very big for us,” said Moreno “I remember like seven, eight years old, I was already out there going with my parents, participating in organizations that would help give sleeping bags and hygiene products to unhoused people.”
Moments like those helped inspire Moreno to explore his own passion for advocacy work. In high school, he came to the realization that he could help create the change he believed was needed: “Every single activism movement is spurred by the youth. It stems from youth efforts—that’s where it starts. It starts with young people who have the most future to look forward to and who want to see change,” said Moreno.
In his home state of Oregon, Moreno founded a nonprofit organization focused on gun violence prevention and education. After contributing to the passage of OR SB1503—legislation addressing suicide prevention and gun violence—Moreno was inducted into the youth advisory board for the Oregon Alliance for Gun Safety. Moreno said, “I’m excited to be able to bring the perspective of youth, of a generation that is so, to our very core, impacted by gun violence because we live in a society where our leaders haven’t acted nearly enough to show that they prioritize protecting our lives from inanimate objects.”
At Santa Clara University, Moreno’s activism has expanded. As a senator for the student government, he helped edit and sponsor the response to the 2024 election results and was one of the principal authors of a resolution addressing ableism on campus. Within SCCAP, Moreno is currently working to create an archive documenting the sixty-plus years of service the program has provided to the Santa Clara area.
As Moreno listed off his involvements, I couldn’t help but wonder: Where on earth does he find time to relax?
For someone like Moreno, whose Google Calendar is overflowing, balance is a battle. “To be able to create the positive change that I want, I have to be in a good state too. I don’t have to be at 100%,” said Moreno. “I don’t think expecting someone to be at 100% all the time is feasible, thoughtful or even human. But in order to create good change, I have to be decently well-rested, and I have to be able to take time for myself.”
To decompress, he’ll go on walks, spontaneously summit a mountain with friends or explore San Francisco for the day. Moreno also takes time to appreciate that “learning is a gift. Being able to be in college is such a thrilling opportunity.” This feeling of gratitude is fueled by his inherent passion for learning: “I’ve always considered myself to be a learner above all else. I’m not just curious, I’m very eclectic. I’ve centered myself around that—around my desire to consume knowledge.”
Moreno has taken advantage of his time at college to try something new—embracing his extroverted side. “I’ve always liked connecting with others, but I’ve been surprised to see how many people consider me to be an extrovert and how much it’s challenged me to reconsider how I see myself,” said Moreno. “Social engagement used to be a challenging and intimidating thing for me—not that it isn’t anymore—but I look forward to it in a way that I didn’t used to.”
To me, there is no doubt that Moreno is extroverted. Every time I see him, he stops to check in on me, tells me about the new challenges he’s taken on and wishes me well for the rest of my day. During our interview, he waved to five different people, and our conversation was paused twice so he could interact with his friends passing by. Moreno’s contagious energy naturally attracts others, making it impossible for him to be anything other than an extrovert.
His ambitious personality leads him to dream of a future career in public service. Majoring in both political science and psychology with a minor in history, he hopes to attend law school after college. After he earns his law degree, he’s unsure of the exact path he will take, but you will, “definitely see me in some kind of public service-oriented role at some point,” said Moreno. “There’s this quality of a mandate that you’re instilled with by being elected, and there’s this responsibility to learn about what it is that people need by pursuing a candidacy. I like the idea of putting that pressure on myself to really think about the experiences of other people.”
Moreno’s dedication to uplifting those around him while also ensuring that he too is cared for is inspiring. In a country where our political leaders seem driven by greed and bent on sowing division, Tiago Moreno gives me hope for our future. As a leader at Santa Clara University, he wants his peers to know, “I’m here to advocate for people on campus. It is something that I love to do. It is something that I’m building an understanding of how to do in this specific institution. Seek me out, I am always willing to answer questions, to try to brainstorm ideas with you, or try to support you in some way, shape, or form. Don’t be afraid to reach out. I love getting to interact with other people. It tends to be a highlight of my day.”