Nearly 200 Cal Poly Students were selected to serve the San Luis Obispo community through #CaliforniansForAll College Corps.
The second year of this statewide program began in September with 195 Cal Poly fellows sworn in to dedicate their time and effort to serving local organizations in K-12 education, climate action, and food security.
Cal Poly is one of the nearly 50 state institutions selected by Gov Gavin Newsom to participate in this program.
“College Corps provides an opportunity for students to experience Learn by Doing and allows the community to see the positive impact that the next generation of leaders can have,” Daniel Grassian, Cal Poly Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, said to the hundreds of college fellows gathered at a Sept. 22 launch party. “We cannot wait to continue to make a positive impact for our campus and our community.”
In the 2022-23 year, the Cal Poly College Corps Fellows collectively contributed 57,307 hours of service.
Cal Poly has partnered with multiple organizations this year including the City of San Luis Obispo, San Luis Coastal Unified School District, SLO Food Bank, City Farm San Luis Obispo, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Ecologistics, SLO Climate Coalition/Resilient SLO, Cal Poly Sustainability, and Cal Poly Food Pantry.
Students will serve for a total of 450 hours, earning a stipend of $7,000 plus a $3,000 education award on completion of these hours.
“We could not do the programs we’re doing without you,” said Leslie O’Connor, Director of Secondary School and Adult Education for San Luis Coastal USD.
Of the 30 fellows assigned to the school district, about a dozen will help with after-school programs at elementary school sites; the rest will serve as tutors, mentors and role models at middle and high schools.
Cal Poly Dean of Students Joy Pedersen, who led the fellows in the AmeriCorps pledge, added, “I guarantee when you’re together again at the end of this experience you will not be the same person, because service changes you. You will have made a tremendous contribution to your community, but service gives back to you as well.”
To learn more about the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program at Cal Poly, click here.
