About

The CUNY Service Corps will mobilize CUNY students, faculty and staff to work on projects that improve the short and long-term civic, economic and environmental sustainability of New York City and of its residents and communities. The program’s goals are three-fold: for students to make a meaningful difference through service while gaining valuable real-world work experience, earning a wage, and where appropriate, receiving college credit; for faculty members and staff, through their work with students in the program, to have additional opportunities to apply their expertise to addressing many of the city’s key challenges; and for residents, communities, and project sponsors to realize concrete benefits as a result of CUNY Service Corps projects.

By providing on-the-ground support to a wide range of non-profit and civic endeavors, the CUNY Service Corps will both increase the availability of valuable services to New Yorkers and enable CUNY students to become more engaged in their communities throughout the city. Service Corps members will become part of a University cohort of students practicing service that is aligned with their civic and professional goals. Typical assignments will last twenty-four weeks over two semesters. Participants will work an average of 12 hours per week. Corps members will be paid for these hours, and in some instances earn college credit.

The program is organized around themes that represent both opportunity and need:

• A Healthier City: Corps members will address important community and public health issues, such as chronic disease management, childhood obesity, lead poisoning prevention, infant mortality, violence prevention, nutrition, and food security.
• A More Resilient and Greener City: Students will support projects related to improving the city’s built and green infrastructure and making it more resistant to storm-related damage.
• A Better Educated City: The Corps will offer valuable supports to students of all ages, such as those in early childhood programs (and their families and caretakers), public middle and high school students, fellow CUNY students struggling with academic and personal challenges, and adult students learning English or preparing to take the High School Equivalency examination.
• An Economically Stronger City: A range of projects will focus on bolstering the economic viability and success of distressed communities within the city.

Throughout the University’s history, its students, faculty, staff, individual colleges and the University writ large have dedicated critical resources to supporting the growth and development of communities throughout the city. The CUNY Service Corps builds on this legacy and on the service-learning, community service, and internship programs currently in place at the University.

The Service Corps project is being administered under the leadership of Allan Dobrin, Executive Vice Chancellor & Chief Operating Officer; John Mogulescu, Senior University Dean for Academic Affairs and the Dean of the CUNY School of Professional Studies; Suri Duitch, University Dean for Continuing Education and Deputy to the Senior University Dean for Academic Affairs; and Rachel Stephenson, University Director of the CUNY Service Corps.