Coalition Conversation: Higher Education AmeriCorps Sponsors

Higher education institutions have long been AmeriCorps grantees of AmeriCorps State & National, VISTA, and other national service programs as they have focused on engaging their students and alumni with local community projects and partnerships. From education to public health to environmental action, campuses have leveraged AmeriCorps programs to meet critical community priorities while providing meaningful community engagement and service opportunities, experiential learning experiences for students, and Education Awards that have eased the financial burden for students and alumni. These partnerships have been critical to the growth of service and service-learning programs and offices across American Higher Education.

But higher education institutions are unique spaces. As compared to non-profit organizations, they are often large, decentralized, and siloed organizations which can limit the impact of the program on campus. They can also be highly political, bureaucratic spaces that can make operating an already complex federal program even more challenging!

Campus Compact would like to invite AmeriCorps sponsors and program directors (faculty/staff) who work within higher education to a coalition conversation so that we may all better understand the key issues facing higher education AmeriCorps programs, begin to build a network of allies and supporters for those who attend, and examine the need for future engagement as colleagues and as a broader subset of both the national service and the higher education community/civic engagement fields. This conversation will be an informal, semi-structured time to connect with others, and it is open to all higher education institutions regardless of their membership in Campus Compact.

Please note that this particular conversation is dedicated to higher education institutions that are AmeriCorps grantees/sponsors, not those campuses that are solely a host site for AmeriCorps members. Given the unique roles of sponsors, we want to make space for those who are direct grantees.