SUNY Chancellor King and SUNY Board of Trustees Celebrate Empire State Summer Service Corps during NYC Convening

June 30, 2026

Empire State Summer Service Corps Students, Senior Leaders, and Program Staff to Discuss Civic Engagement and Service

Governor Hochul's Empire State Service Corps Program Connects Students with Paid Community Service and Career Development Opportunities

New York, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today celebrated the second cohort of the Empire State Summer Service Corps during a convening hosted at the SUNY Global Center. Chancellor King was joined by members of the SUNY Board of Trustees during the event which brought together Empire State Summer Service Corps students, senior leaders, and program staff to discuss civic engagement and service.

"The Empire State Service Corps, championed by Governor Kathy Hochul, provides our students with vital, hands-on paid opportunities to serve their communities in meaningful ways," said SUNY Chancellor King. "Our Service Corps students are future leaders who are learning important skills that will prepare them for their careers after graduation. I applaud all of our Empire State Summer Service Corps members for their work to serve New York State during their summer break, and thank Governor Hochul, the legislature, SUNY Board of Trustees, and our campuses for their continued support of our students."

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Through the support of Governor Hochul, SUNY's Empire State Service Corps members can give back to their local communities while also gaining valuable skills that will prepare them for their future careers. We commend the work of our summer service corps members as they work to improve the lives of New Yorkers throughout the state."

The Empire State Summer Service Corps program is part of Governor Hochul's Empire State Service Corps initiative that connects students with community service and career development opportunities through paid civic and service internships. This year, 319 students from 39 SUNY campuses, up from 224 students last year, are participating in the paid community service summer program to serve across all regions of New York State.

Students participating in the Empire State Service Corps dedicate at least 300 hours to engage in paid community service and convene regularly to share and learn from each other's experiences. As a recognized AmeriCorps program, participating students who complete 300 service hours also receive an AmeriCorps Segal Education Award of up to $1,400 for their service.

New York State Commission on National and Community Service Executive Director Beth Tailleur said, "On behalf of the New York State Commission on National and Community Service, I extend a heartfelt congratulations to the second cohort of SUNY's Empire State Service Corps. Service brings civic-minded people together to bridge gaps and address community needs, and participation in AmeriCorps programs like the ESSC provides advantages that can last a lifetime. The Commission is proud to work with its partners at SUNY, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, and AmeriCorps to support the critical objectives of the ESSC."

State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, said, "Too often, the chance to serve is reserved for students who can afford to work without pay. The Empire State Service Corps changes that. It puts a paycheck behind public service, so a student covering tuition with a summer job can spend that summer strengthening a food pantry or a health clinic instead. That is how we raise a generation that treats service as their own responsibility, not someone else's. I thank Governor Hochul and Chancellor King for opening this door to more students every year."

State Assemblymember Alicia L. Hyndman, Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, said, "Congratulations to the 319 students selected from across 39 campuses to be part of SUNY's Empire State Service Corps second cohort. The ESSC program allows students to learn practical skills while serving various communities throughout New York State with paid internships. Thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and my colleagues in the Legislature, this program—which has already grown from 224 students in its first cohort to 319 in its second—will continue to expand its capacity to serve others due to the Enacted State Budget through fiscal year 2027."

State Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon said, "Service is one of the best ways for students to build skills, strengthen their communities, and discover the impact they can have. By providing paid opportunities for civic engagement, the Empire State Summer Service Corps ensures more students can participate, regardless of their financial circumstances. Thank you to SUNY for investing in the next generation of leaders and expanding opportunities for students to serve communities across New York."

The Empire State Service Corps, championed by Governor Hochul and funded by $2.75 million in the FY25 Enacted State Budget, is New York State's largest AmeriCorps program. In 2025, applications far exceeded the number of available spots for the second year in a row, with applications outpacing the number of campus spots 4:1. With additional funding support through the FY2026-27 Enacted State Budget the Empire State Service Corps will double to 1,000 available spots for SUNY students to give back to their communities through service-focused opportunities and include new service areas including disaster recovery.

Service areas Empire State Service Corps members traditionally work in include:

  • Civil Discourse and Civic Engagement: 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 and voter registration.
  • Education: 
    • K-12 Tutoring: Students will partner with local school districts for regular tutoring sessions with students in the community who need more academic support.
    • Early Childhood Education: Students will serve at a host site dedicated to early childhood education and/or development (for example, daycare or Head Start centers).
    • Student Success Coaching: Students will work with elementary, middle and high school students to support academic achievement and combat common challenges external to academics like addressing chronic absenteeism, access to socio-emotional learning, mentoring, and mental health support.
  • Economic Opportunity:
    • FAFSA Completion: Students will serve local communities, in visits to local high schools and through work on campus, to support students in completing the FAFSA or other financial aid forms
  • Healthy Futures: 
    • Food Insecurity/SNAP & Basic Needs: Students will serve on or off campus supporting students and others with SNAP outreach as well as basic needs support (which could include shifts at a campus food pantry) or with other food insecurity-aligned work.
    • Independent Living: Students will promote independence and quality of life for aging populations and individuals with alternative abilities.
    • Justice-Impacted Support: Students will support reentry and stability by connecting justice-impacted individuals to resources, opportunities, and community networks.
    • Mental Health Support: Students will be trained to serve as a mental health educator, supporting peers or community members either on- or off-campus with building strong mental health practices and overall wellness initiatives. Promote well-being by expanding access to mental health resources, prevention efforts, and supportive services.
  • Environmental Stewardship:
    • Sustainability: Students will serve in campus roles and with local nonprofits and State agencies on sustainability work, such as recycling campaigns, tree planting, pollinator gardens, and sustainability outreach.
    • Climate Action: Students will advance long-term climate initiatives through research, education, and resilience-building that supports healthier communities (e.g. supporting local municipalities, climate-focused campus initiatives, climate outreach campaigns, etc.)
  • Veterans Affairs & Military Families Outreach: Students will serve at host sites dedicated to supporting active military or veterans' affairs for individuals, families, or affiliated groups through outreach, resource connection, and responsive services.

The Empire State Service Corps is part of SUNY's ongoing efforts to support New Yorkers in need by encouraging civic engagement and volunteerism. In March, Empire State Service Corps members hosted a day of service and prepared meal kits at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. In January, members of the Empire State Service Corps assembled literacy kits as part of a day of service to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In November 2025, Service Corps members were mobilized to support their communities during Governor Hochul’s Day of Hunger Action, and they provided additional assistance during the food insecurity crisis.

About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.

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