Last October, the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, swore in the first class of the university's #CaliforniansForAll Scholars, comprised of more than 3,200 students who have committed to serving communities across the state while earning money to pay for college.
Joined by Chief Services Officer Josh Fryday and higher education leaders, Governor Newsom said, “#CaliforniansForAll demonstrates that you don’t have to be something to do something.”
“Leadership can be found anywhere, and this program creates a new pathway for students of all backgrounds to make a real impact in our communities while earning money for college. I am honored and proud to join these young leaders today and look forward to what they will accomplish on this journey,” Newsom said.
This first-of-its-kind initiative gives college students from 46 California colleges and universities the opportunity to earn $10,000 for committing to a year of service focused on three key issue areas for the state: K-12 education, climate action, and food insecurity.
“In California, if you are willing to serve your community and give back in a meaningful way, we will help you pay for college. This is a win-win – helping pay for college, gaining valuable work experience, and making a meaningful impact on the community,” said Josh Fryday, California’s director of services.
In this first cohort, more than two-thirds of the grantees are Pell-eligible and 64 percent are first-generation college students. AB 540 CA Dream Act students are also eligible for college support through this program.
Approximately 13,000 students over the next four years will participate in one year of service, equivalent to six million hours.
College Corps Fellows will be placed in more than 600 community-based partner organizations across the state, with those focused on K-12 tutoring or mentoring public school students directly in the classrooms of school districts across the state, while others will support after-school programs run by nonprofit organizations.
Fellows addressing food insecurity will be placed at numerous food banks, as well as staff food pantries on their own college campus; while fellows focused on climate action will plant trees, assist with wildfire mitigation work, and support a variety of environmental education and community outreach efforts.
The #CaliforniansForAll University Corps is funded primarily through the California Comeback Plan and will support 3,250 students in the first year of this program.
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