The College Corps program at the University of California, Davis — in which students learn and earn while they serve community organizations — will expand with a $6.4 million state grant for 2024-26.

The award from the Office of the Governor will support 384, or 64 more, UC Davis student positions in the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps over the next two years. 

“We are excited about this critical funding award and look forward to our students and community organizations continuing to benefit from this innovative program,” said Pablo Reguerín, vice chancellor for Student Affairs. “College Corps has served as an important resource in supporting civic leadership and engagement in our community.”

He added that the new award is a reflection of the success in the first two years of the program and an acknowledgment of UC Davis’ role as a leader in the state.

Through College Corps, students who serve 450 hours — or 15 hours a week — over an academic year receive monthly stipends totaling $7,000 and, upon completion, a $3,000 education award. The program at UC Davis also includes a two-credit experiential learning course, professional development support and financial literacy workshops.

The program aims to break down the barriers that can prevent low-income and undocumented students from participating in paid field placements and community-based internships.

Reguerín said College Corps has been one of the most successful implementations of a grant in Student Affairs.

In the 2022-23 academic year and the 2023 fall quarter, 320 UC Davis participants, called fellows, accounted for more than 110,000 hours of community service focused on K-12 education, climate action and food security. The fellows, including more than 60 undocumented students, received a total of $3.2 million to offset tuition and living expenses. About 98% of the fellows from the first academic year advanced in class standing or graduated after completing the program.

Administered by the California Volunteers state office, College Corps is the largest state-level investment in a college service program in California’s history. In its first year, more than 3,000 fellows from dozens of colleges and universities served over 1.15 million hours in their communities.

In the first two years, UC Davis was awarded $11.4 million to lead the Sacramento Valley College Corps consortium including Sacramento State, Sacramento City College and Woodland Community College. A total of 626 students from the four institutions have performed more than 115,600 hours of community service at 62 partner sites in the Sacramento region.

In spring 2023, the consortium also awarded more than $66,000 in grants to 12 community partners for things like volunteer engagement and training.

With the new state award, UC Davis will work in a coalition with Sacramento State, Folsom Lake College and Cosumnes River College on some aspects of the program including efficiencies, community outreach and training for fellows.

UC Davis student applications for 2024-25 will open in early March. More information, including how community organizations can participate, is available through a revamped website for the College Corps at UC Davis.

At UC Davis, College Corps is administered by Student Affairs through Student Affairs Assessment in collaboration with the Internship and Career Center and in partnership with Enrollment Management and the Office of Public Scholarship and Engagement.