Public Service and Professional Success

I have been going through the application process of one of those highly regarded post-graduate scholarships at Oxford/Cambridge, and after making it to the interview stages, I have received rejection. Upon reflecting on my weaknesses, I'm fairly certain that my lack of public service (relative to others) was one of the biggest reasons for my rejection. I'm not terribly disappointed-- for better or worse, I'm not one who is motivated by service towards others and I am ok with that.

However, because I try to draw lessons in everything I do, and rejection is the best teacher after all, I want to hear what you guys think about the importance of public service in professional success in our current day and age. ESG investing is all the rage, as are sustainability, impact investing, inclusion, diversity, etc. Given that, do you think that having a clear commitment to public service is a key determinant for future success?

For context, I'm in my senior year at a top American school, humanities major (3.9 GPA), and will be working in BB investment banking upon graduation. Resume reads very finance focused, exec on student-run fund, previous internships in finance, etc..