UArizona scholarships serve those who serve

A trio of scholarships is helping UArizona continue its commitment to community engagement and service by supporting students who have served communities - AmeriCorps alumni.

“The University of Arizona has a long commitment to service and civic-engagement, making it a clear choice for service-minded students like AmeriCorps alumni,” said Kasey Urquidez, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Dean of Undergraduate Admissions. “We take pride in the community-engaged learning for our students that provides mutual benefit to organizations within the region and state.”

UArizona will award up to 10 newly enrolled undergraduates with up to $1,000 to match Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards, and the College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences (CALES) will offer up to 10 newly admitted or transferred CALES students $1,000 undergraduate scholarships.

Former AmeriCorps participants in the UArizona Wildcat Corps program will get preference for both undergraduate scholarships. Students can apply for one or both of these opportunities.

In addition, the Graduate College will offer up to three newly admitted students $5,000 fellowship matches to the Segal awards.

The scholarships are a great way to pay back AmeriCorps members, said Ed Martin, interim director of Arizona Cooperative Extension.

“We are excited that this benefit will recognize the service of our AmeriCorps and Wildcat Corps members who have been supporting Arizona communities throughout the state,” Martin said.

Sarah Turner, a UArizona undergraduate student majoring in nutritional sciences and scholarship recipient, said AmeriCorps service brings joy to her life while the scholarship brings peace of mind.

“It's a really special thing to see change in your community that you helped foster. This scholarship, along with others, covered all my tuition expenses, which made sure I wouldn't have to take out student loans or ask my parents for help,” Turner said.

AmeriCorps has elevated just four Arizona colleges or universities to Schools of National Service status, including UArizona. This year alone, Wildcat Corps members have been placed in 55 programs in 13 counties and three tribal communities touching the lives of more than 25,000 youth.

More than 80 AmeriCorps members provide more than 30,000 hours of service annually in programs ranging from Arizona Project WET and Gila Watershed Partnership to financial education and parenting classes, according to Christina Lipin, Wildcat Corps senior program coordinator in the UArizona Cooperative Extension.

AmeriCorps alumni have many qualities sought by universities across the nation, including leadership skills, problem-solving experience, and commitment to civic engagement. The Schools of National Service program connects these leaders with institutions that want to recognize those qualities and honor AmeriCorps members’ service.

Funding for AmeriCorps comes via the Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family (GOYFF), which administers more than $10 million in federal support for 29 AmeriCorps programs statewide, including UArizona Cooperative Extension. This year, these programs will deploy almost 1,300 AmeriCorps members to meet critical community education, economic, environmental, and public health needs.