California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) students were invited to a Feb. 22 workshop seminar to learn about College Corps, a state service and career development program that provides its fellows with financial support and professional experience.
College Corps is a first of its kind program in partnership with California colleges and universities. Launched by Governor Newsom in 2022, College Corp has three main goals.
- Addressing societal challenges through serving in areas like climate action, K-12 education, food insecurity, and health
- Help low income students graduate college with less debt.
- Create a generation of civic-minded leaders with the ability to bridge divides and solve problems.
Otters were given the opportunity to join a College Corps meet and greet session Thursday, where they could ask questions about the program and talk to experienced fellows.
This event was facilitated by College Corp program lead and CSUMB alumna, Sunny Milligan.
Milligan gave a presentation on College Corps, explaining their mission, partners and what exactly becoming a fellow would look like as well as the benefits of the program.
College Corps fellows serve 450 hours of community service over the course of an academic school year. This is split into about 12-15 hours per week and is divided into 90 hours of training and 350 hours of service. Fellows also enroll in certain Service Learning courses at CSUMB which count toward their 90 hours.
“The reason I joined College Corps is to be able to serve my community,” said Thalia Hernandez, a College Corps fellow and collaborative health and human services major at CSUMB.
“I am currently serving at Seaside High School. I am helping the newcomer students who have only been in the country for no more than two years,” said Hernandez. “I am basically helping them with their English language skills. Since they only went up to a certain grade in their country I am helping them work with a high school level.”
To fulfill College Corps’ goal of making college more affordable, fellows are eligible to receive up to $10,000 in a living allowance and an educational award. This fund is dependent on a student’s current financial aid package and is distributed monthly.
College Corp also serves as a networking opportunity for those involved in the program. Through service, fellows build connections within the community that they serve, which can lead to job opportunities and references.
“College Corp has really helped me be involved in the community that I grew up in and give back to individuals and the young children in this community that will eventually have a big impact in our world,” said Jennifer Pineda, a College Corp fellow and psychology major at CSUMB.
With a plethora of light-hearted events like Spooky-Movie nights and Game Days, Milligan also noted that College Corps Fellows can expect to cultivate valuable friendships through joining the program.
In order to join, an applicant must be a full-time undergraduate student that meets at least one of the following criteria:
- Qualify for Federal Pell grant
- Qualify for State Cal Grant or Middle Class Scholarship
- Need to work part time and/or borrow student loans to meet educational costs
- Be an AB 540 recipient / Undocumented with or without working authorization.
The College Corps application is currently open to students who fit the criteria. The priority deadline for returning fellows is March 18 and new applicants have until April 1 to apply. Students interested in becoming a fellow can find the application here.