Partnership To Provide Professional Development And Training Opportunities For Suny Empire State Service Corps

CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced a partnership with the Educating Character Initiative to provide professional development and training opportunities for the SUNY Empire State Service Corps.

The Educating Character Initiative awarded a $900,000 Institutional Impact Grant to support the Empire State Service Corps as it expands and strengthens professional development and training to promote greater civil discourse and civic engagement, and the development of civic competencies, such as bridging across lines of differences, for all participants in the 1,000-member Service Corps in each of the next three years, according to a news release.

“SUNY’s Empire State Service Corps combines paid experiential learning with civic service opportunities that make a profound difference in communities across New York State,” King said in the news release. ”SUNY Service Corps members have stepped up to support their campuses and wider communities, and are an example to their fellow students and to other service-based organizations across the nation. Through continued partnership with the Educating Character Initiative, we ensure that Service Corps members have opportunities to reach their full potential.”

The SUNY Board of Trustees also stated in the release that, “The SUNY Empire State Service Corps members help address New York State’s most pressing needs. With the continued support of Governor Hochul and the State Legislature, and through partnerships like the Education Character Initiative, we are supporting the civic service work of the Service Corps members and uplifting our students with opportunities for personal and professional growth.”

In 2025, SUNY began its partnership with the Educating Character Initiative with a capacity-building grant to enhance training opportunities for Service Corps members. With this expanded partnership, SUNY will further strengthen continuous learning as an integral part of the Empire State Service Corps experience. Service Corps members will develop professional skills, as well as interpersonal skills and civic competencies, such as intellectual humility, compassion and bridging across lines of difference.

“We are excited about the significance of the work that the Empire State Service Corps is leading, engaging thousands of students, embedding character development deeply in the culture of a signature program and, perhaps most importantly, making a difference in the communities where they serve,”  Educating Character Initiative Director of Collective Learning Aaron Cobb said in the release. “When it is done well, service makes our neighborhoods, communities and cities better places for everyone and, especially, for those who have the greatest vulnerabilities and needs. We can’t wait to hear the stories about the good that will come from this sustained effort.”

Students participating in the Empire State Service Corps dedicate at least 300 hours to engage in paid community service and convene regularly to share and learn from each other’s experiences. As New York State’s largest AmeriCorps program, participating students who complete 300 service hours also receive an AmeriCorps Segal Education Award of up to $1,400 for their service.

Through the FY2026-27 Enacted State Budget, the Empire State Service Corps is doubling to 1,000 available spots for the 2026-2027 academic year for SUNY students to give back to their communities through service-focused opportunities and includes new service areas, including disaster recovery. Governor Hochul has championed the Empire State Service Corps since 2025 and funded the program with $2.75 million in the FY25 Enacted State Budget. The Empire State Service Corps is also supported by a federal AmeriCorps grant, which is administered by SUNY’s partners at the New York State Commission for National and Community Service. In 2025, applications far exceeded the number of available spots for the second year in a row, with applications outpacing the number of campus spots 4:1.

Service areas Empire State Service Corps members traditionally work in include:

Civil Discourse and Civic Engagement: Students will serve either on or off campus with organizations such as local nonprofits related to civic engagement and civil discourse, including nonpartisan voter outreach and voter registration.

Education:

K-12 Tutoring: Students will partner with local school districts for regular tutoring sessions with students in the community who need more academic support.Early Childhood Education: Students will serve at a host site dedicated to early childhood education and/or development (for example, daycare or Head Start centers).

Student Success Coaching: Students will work with elementary, middle and high school students to support academic achievement and combat common challenges external to academics like addressing chronic absenteeism, access to socio-emotional learning, mentoring, and mental health support.

Economic Opportunity:

FAFSA Completion: Students will serve local communities, in visits to local high schools and through work on campus, to support students in completing the FAFSA or other financial aid forms.

Healthy Futures:

Food Insecurity/SNAP & Basic Needs: Students will serve on or off campus supporting students and others with SNAP outreach as well as basic needs support (which could include shifts at a campus food pantry) or with other food insecurity-aligned work.

Independent Living: Students will promote independence and quality of life for aging populations and individuals with alternative abilities.

Justice-Impacted Support: Students will support reentry and stability by connecting justice-impacted individuals to resources, opportunities, and community networks.

Mental Health Support: Students will be trained to serve as a mental health educator, supporting peers or community members either on- or off-campus with building strong mental health practices and overall wellness initiatives. Students will promote well-being by expanding access to mental health resources, prevention efforts, and supportive services.

Environmental Stewardship:

Sustainability: Students will serve in campus roles and with local nonprofits and State agencies on sustainability work, such as recycling campaigns, tree planting, pollinator gardens and sustainability outreach.

Climate Action: Students will advance long-term climate initiatives through research, education and resilience-building that supports healthier communities (e.g. supporting local municipalities, climate-focused campus initiatives, climate outreach campaigns, etc.).

Veterans Affairs & Military Families Outreach: Students will serve at host sites dedicated to supporting active military or veterans’ affairs for individuals, families, or affiliated groups through outreach, resource connection, and responsive services.

The Empire State Service Corps is part of SUNY’s ongoing efforts to support New Yorkers in need by encouraging civic engagement and volunteerism. In March, Empire State Service Corps members hosted a day of service and prepared meal kits at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. In January, members of the Empire State Service Corps assembled literacy kits as part of a day of service to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In November 2025, Service Corps members were mobilized to support their communities during Governor Hochul’s Day of Hunger Action, and they provided additional assistance during the food insecurity crisis.