If you have a desire to do good and make a difference, you can get hands-on experience and serve your community through paid public service with the Empire State Service Corps.
Selected SUNY students engage in paid public service work for 300 hours over the course of an academic year. Selected students are placed in a cohort aligned with their interest areas and will serve at either an on-campus or community-based host site. This opportunity allows New York State students to be paid for meaningful work that can provide lifelong skills as well create lasting impacts in their community.
When my administration launched this program less than a year ago, I knew it would be a powerful force for good—helping students like you gain valuable experience while addressing real needs in our communities, in your communities. I understand on a personal level the profound impact these opportunities can have for people setting out to find their passions. You are turning that vision into reality every day, showing what’s possible when we come together to serve.
― Governor Kathy Hochul
The Empire State Service Corps will focus on different types of work on campus or in the community:
Students will serve either on or off campus with organizations such as local nonprofits related to civic engagement and civil discourse, including nonpartisan voter outreach, voter registration and engaging campus peers in voter activity.
Students will serve at a host site dedicated to early childhood education and/or development. (For example, daycare or head start centers)
Students will serve either in local communities (local high schools) or work on campus to support students with completing the FAFSA.
Students will serve on or off campus supporting students / individuals with SNAP outreach as well as basic needs support (could include shifts at campus food pantry) or with other food insecurity aligned work.
Students will partner with local school districts for tutoring sessions on a regular basis to support recovery from pandemic era learning loss.
Students will be trained to serve as a peer mental health educator typically at a campus/community wellness or counseling center. Students will support peers either on or off campus in supporting strong mental health practices and overall wellness initiatives.
Students will work with secondary education level students (MS or HS) to combat common challenges external to academics. For example, socio-emotional learning, combating chronic absenteeism, mentoring, mental health support, etc. Alternatively, this corps can also be aligned to other relevant on-campus offices or community-based sites that are non-education related to support students of all ages wholistically.
Students will serve in campus roles or off-campus with local nonprofits / State agencies or other organizations focused on sustainability work (such as recycling campaigns, tree planting, pollinator gardens, sustainability outreach, building sustainable civic habits, etc.)
Students will serve at host sites dedicated to supporting active military or veterans' affairs for individuals, families, or affiliated groups.