Governor Hochul Announces Application for Empire State Service Corps Program is Open

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the application for the Empire State Service Corps Program is open, advancing one of her 2024 State of the State priorities. Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado is spearheading the initiative in partnership with the State University of New York to promote paid civic and service opportunities.

"Working as an intern in state government was a formative experience that catalyzed my interest in serving the people of New York," Governor Hochul said. "By expanding our initiatives to get more young people involved with the Empire Service Corps, we are making a forward commitment to their well-being and to the betterment of our state as a whole."

"Empowering our young people to lead with empathy through civic engagement and service is central to bringing New Yorkers together," said Lieutenant Governor Delgado. "By creating 500 new service positions for our students across SUNY's colleges and universities, we are investing in future generations and taking an important step forward in supporting our young people to own their power and build stronger communities."

SUNY students are encouraged to apply here. The first Empire State Service Corps members will begin during the Fall 2024 semester.

Approximately 500 service positions will be created across SUNY's colleges and universities, funded by a $2.75 million expansion of community service initiatives in the FY25 Enacted Budget. Community-based organizations and local school districts interested in hosting Empire State Corps members for the academic year can submit their information at this link here.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, "We applaud the Governor's vision for the Empire State Service Corps, and greatly appreciate the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Delgado in launching this vital program. Civic education and engagement are integral to higher education, and our students are ready to heed the call to public service for our society and their own personal growth."

Students participating in the program will dedicate at least 300 hours a year to paid community service - on campus or in the community - and will convene regularly to share and learn from each other's experiences. The service work will tie to one of the following areas:

• K-12 Tutoring: Students will partner with local school districts for regular tutoring sessions to support recovery from pandemic-era interrupted learning.
• SNAP and basic need outreach: Students will support students with SNAP outreach on campus, as well as provide basic needs support, including shifts at the campus food pantry.
• Peer Mental Health: On select campuses, students will be trained to serve as peer mental health counselors.
• 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.
• Anti-Hate and Bias Prevention: Students will serve with local nonprofits focused on ending hate and bias in the community.
• Civic Engagement: Students will serve with local nonprofits on civic engagement, including nonpartisan voter outreach. The Civic Engagement Corps will consist of 15 corps members funded through philanthropic support from the Ibis Group, announced earlier this month.
• 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.

The Empire State Service Corps builds on SUNY's existing FAFSA Completion Corps, which mobilizes current SUNY students to help prospective students and their families complete the updated federal application for college financial aid, and the SUNY Climate Corps, which offers students paid internship opportunities to gain valuable experience, knowledge and skills necessary to excel in the clean technology, energy, circular economy and environmental sectors at state agencies with environmental and sustainability missions. SUNY is committed to expanding service opportunities across its 64 campuses as part of its systemwide commitment to civic education and engagement.

Assemblymember Patricia Fahy said, "New York's new Empire State Service Corps will open doors of opportunities for students with a focus on community service and strengthening our civics. In any industry, gaining internship experience significantly improves your chances of finding a job post-graduation or receiving an employment offer. Focusing these opportunities on civics and community service-oriented projects will ensure that students make connections and attain experience on their path to graduation and ultimately carry that into their careers. Kudos to Lt. Governor Delgado and Chancellor King for continuing to invest in student success and experiential learning opportunities!"

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, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire 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 $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.

Contact the Governor's Press Office