Concordia’s Inaugural College Corps Fellows Build A Better California As Civic-Minded Leaders
Irvine, CA., Oct. 7, 2022 – Concordia's inaugural #CaliforniansForAll College Corps fellows completed orientation in August and are preparing for their official swearing-in ceremony on October 7. A group of 60 Golden Eagles are making community service a core part of their college experience while preparing for their future careers and growing into wise, honorable, and cultivated citizens.
The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program is a service fellowship that provides students with college funding while engaging them in community problem-solving in the fields of K-12 education, climate action, and food insecurity. Concordia has partnered with Irvine Valley College and Vanguard University to create a College Corps consortium of 200 fellows.
Over the next two academic years, Concordia students will have the opportunity to serve with local school districts and nonprofit organizations to solve real challenges and build healthier communities. Eligible students will receive $10,000 toward their education in exchange for completing 450 hours of service over the course of an academic year. College Corps aims to provide an opportunity for all students to become civic-minded leaders by providing a living stipend and scholarship.
"We at Concordia University Irvine are honored to have been selected for the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program as one of only four private universities statewide that are participating. Concordia empowers students for lives of learning, service, and leadership, and the College Corps program will help more than 60 of our students grow in all those areas. We're excited for our students to give back to the community while they also receive additional support to make college more affordable," said Dr. Peter Senkbeil, Vice President & Special Assistant to the President.
Several Concordia fellows are currently serving as tutors in K-12 education at The Wooden Floor in Santa Ana Unified School District and at Irvine High School. Others are helping to improve food security by partnering with South County Outreach, Trellis, and the Laguna Food Pantry. The remaining fellows are working toward positive environmental change at Tanaka Farms, Laguna Ocean Foundation, and Concordia’s very own Heritage Garden.
“I am amazed by our fellows' desire to step out of their comfort zone and into a hurting world - not with the answers to fix problems, but a willingness to come alongside and help where they can. Our students are invested in building a better world for future generations while serving as witnesses of Christ-like compassion in the community,” said Mariah Lucas, Director of Career Development & Vocation.
Concordia is proud of its inaugural College Corps fellows for making service leadership a foundational aspect of their college endeavors.
About Concordia University Irvine
Concordia University Irvine, part of the Concordia University System, is a private, nonprofit Christian university that is proud to be one of the founding institutions of higher education in Irvine, California. For nearly 50 years, we have prepared students for lives of learning, service, and leadership through distinctive Lutheran education. Today, we educate nearly 4,000 students on campus and online, and our alumni network has grown to over 25,000 worldwide. We’re recognized as a top-ranked university for Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report and a fierce NCAA Division II PacWest competitor. Learn more about our mission, community, and heritage.