California College students eligible for $10,000 Grant

Photo taken by California Volunteers.

By: Selena Roldan & Mayibel Ruiz

Are you a college student in California? You could qualify for one of the $10,000 grants Californians For All College Corps Fellowship is offering.

In January of 2022, Gavin Newsom announced the largest state-level investment in a college service program in California history. The program includes 45 colleges including community Colleges and universities with Cal State San Bernardino being among the 45 schools in the program. The initiative is the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps whose main objective is to enrich and connect Californians from all different backgrounds with their communities.

“California is a world leader in both higher education and service,” said Governor Newsom. “The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps advances these priorities by connecting Californians of different backgrounds with enriching service opportunities throughout the state while making college more affordable for our state’s future leaders. We hope the Corps will be replicated across the nation.”

The #CaliforniaForAll College Corps will work with up to 6,500 students, including AB 540 eligible Dreamers, in the 45 colleges and universities selected for this initiative. Over the course of two years, the program will allow students to complete a year of service opportunities in critical issues. Students can choose to focus their work on issues such as climate action, K-12 education, and Covid-19 recovery.

“Under the two-year fellowship program set to begin in the fall, CSUSB will recruit, train, place, supervise and evaluate each year 75 full-time undergraduate students, including 25 eligible Dreamer students, at both the San Bernardino and Palm Desert campuses,” said Summer Steele, director of the CSUSB California Student Opportunity and Access ProgramLinks to an external site. (Cal-SOAP).

“We’re thrilled to team up with California Volunteers to open new opportunities for our students to give back, be part of something bigger, and grow personally and professionally,” said Diana Z. Rodriguez, who is Chancellor of the San Bernardino Community College District, home of Crafton Hills College and San Bernardino Valley College.

“This is a great opportunity! As a college student a lot of the time you’re left trying to figure out how you’re going to pay for everything after graduating. This opportunity would allow students to try and work through some of the debt after completing community service” said fellow coyote Zuyva Ruiz.

Supporting the California College Corps Fellowship Program will help student loans be paid. According to California Chief service officer Josh Fryday,” Nearly four million Californians owe 147 Billion Student Debt with Black and Latino Californians facing the highest rates of default and delinquency”. Students will be able to show leadership by using the 3 core goals that are expected of them by the California Volunteers Program. Goal one: will be” Engage college students in meaningful service opportunities that build leadership skills and civic responsibility”. Goal 2: will “Help students from diverse backgrounds graduate college on time and with less debt”. Goal 3: Support the work of community-based organizations focused on key local priorities.

Starting March 2022 campuses will be notified in order for students to be able to learn more about this program. Recruiters will be able to see who will be the right candidate for this position. There will be 250 student selections from each of the 45 colleges if they meet the criteria. Once these participants are selected they will have to complete 450 hours of community service from two cohorts terms. Starting from August 2022 to July 2023 for year one and August 2023 to June 2024.

This great opportunity for all students is beneficial for students who are struggling to pay off student loans. CSUSB was luckily selected to be able to be part of this fellowship program and plans to share it with our Student Coyotes to help achieve their goals. We intend that this program will be able to help our community by the students reaching their own goals. This is a good chance for students to network and strategize their career goals by building friendships will their colleagues.

Sources:

California Volunteers. (2022, January 18). California Volunteers, California Higher Education Institutions Announce Historic College Service Program. [Press Release]. Retrieved From https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/California-volunteers-california-higher-education-institutions-announce-historic-college-service-program/

Cal State University San Bernardino. (2022, January 20). CSUSB named to inaugural college service program. [Press Release]. Retrieved from https://www.csusb.edu/inside/article/551911/csusb-named-inaugural-college-service-program

San Bernardino Community College District. (2022, January 22). Crafton Hills College, San Bernardino Valley College Awarded $1.7 Million State Grant to Promote Community Service. [Press Release]. Retrieved from https://sbccd.edu/news/californians-for-all-college-corps.php