Last Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom swore in more than 3,200 students across California who are participating in the new California College Corps program. The idea is to give stipends to students to work in the community. Leaders feel it is a win-win-win situation, assisting the community, providing financial assistance for students and enabling them to graduate with work experience.
“We know that our country and our state is facing a student debt crisis, climate change, food insecurity, education disparities,” said Josh Fryday, chief service officer for the California for All Corps during a media briefing for Ethnic Media Services. “We know our country is facing divisions and we feel more polarized than ever.”
Fryday believes the students chosen for the program can work on these problems.
“This is a full private-public partnership to solve some of our biggest challenges,” he said. “These students will be contributing to the state and society in a unique way.”
The program received nearly 10,000 applications from young adults who have a desire to create change in their communities. Students from 46 universities — including Compton College, CSU Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A. — were chosen and will have opportunities to earn $10,000 toward their education by working in more than 600 community organizations throughout California.
The stipend fellows will receive includes a living allowance and an education award. Students will support and learn from community-based organizations working in three priority areas: K-12 education, climate action and food insecurity.
“California is a world leader in both higher education and service,” said Gov. 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 full list of schools can be found at https://tinyurl.com/bdecnvk6
Nearly four million Californians owe $147 billion in student debt with Black and Latino Californians facing the highest rates of default and delinquency. Newsom has prioritized the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps as part of an effort to lead the nation in service-centered paths, relieving the debt burden on our recent graduates while moving the state forward with service-focused careers.
