What is the AmeriCorps Program?
AmeriCorps is a national service program initiated by President Clinton, often referred to as the “domestic Peace Corps.” AmeriCorps provides thousands of Americans of all ages and backgrounds with service scholarships in exchange for their service to their community. Nationally, over 350,000 AmeriCorps Members have helped to meet the nation’s critical needs in the areas of public safety, education, human needs, and the environment.
Compact Service Corps (Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and now Montana) AmeriCorps program is a regional effort to engage students in meaningful service in local communities. Compact Service Corps focuses on three primary goal areas: Education, Public Health/Safety, and Community Strengthening. At UC Denver, we offer AmeriCorps scholarships to students who successfully complete a set term of service:
- 300 hours = $1,175 service scholarship
- 450 hours = $1,463 service scholarship
- 900 hours = $2,114 service scholarship
What Types of Service Are Eligible?
All positions must be with a nonprofit or any government agency. It must also be unpaid and benefiting the community as a whole. The following types of service or eligible:
- Community Work Study: As a community-based work study, your hours working in tutoring, mentoring, or addressing human needs DO count toward the scholarship.
- Volunteering and Service Learning: If you are involved in a volunteer program that addresses tutoring, mentoring and addressing human needs, your hours DO count toward the grant. Programs and partners in coordination with the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning will be eligible sites.
- Clinical, Capstone Projects, Social Work Fieldwork or Student Teaching: If you are involved in an unpaid student teaching position, practicum, or fieldwork for education, social work, psychology etc, in which you are tutoring, mentoring, or addressing unmet human needs in a community your hours DO count toward this scholarship.
Note: Financial need is NOT a consideration for this scholarship
How Can the Education Award Be Used?
There are four primary uses for the AmeriCorps education award:
- Repay qualified student loans
- Pay for current costs of attendance at a qualified institution of higher education
- Pay for expenses incurred in participating in an approved school to work program
- Hold on to the voucher for up to seven years and use it for future education costs, such as re-certification courses, graduate school, study abroad, etc.
What are the Compact Service Corps Member Responsibilities?
Step 1: You must attend a mandatory orientation session. Contact the Compact Service Corps Coordinator in the Experiential Learning Center (ELC) office to sign up for an orientation.
Step 2: Fill out initial paperwork and turn in to the Compact Service Corps Coordinator, include a copy of your passport or birth certificate
Step 3: Turn in your Service Summary and signed timesheets every month. Complete 300, 450, or 900 service hours within the United States.
Step 4: Fill out the Member online evaluation survey. Turn in the confirmation page from that survey along with your Exit form to complete the program.
Step 5: Receive award! Join AmeriCorps Alumni and continue to make a difference in your community!
Basic Requirements to Qualify:
* Once you enroll you cannot cancel your term and you will exhaust one of your AmeriCorps terms (every citizen is eligible for two terms in his/her lifetime) even if you do not complete your hours.
- Members must be 17 years of age; there is no upper age limit.
- Members must be a U.S. Citizen or legal resident.
- Members must have graduated from High School or have a G.E.D.
For More Information:
Contact Katrina Beard, the UC Denver AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator