Volunteer hours result in scholarships

Every major has specific requirements. For many students, the criteria may be as simple as completing introductory courses in order to gain access to the courses necessary to graduate. Other degree programs (such as education, social work, and criminal justice) have more ambitious course standards—such as volunteer work.

The University Community Assistance Network Serve AmeriCorps program, which has three coordinators at the UC Denver campus, is a rewarding way for students to become involved in their community, as well as earn scholarships toward their educations. In addition, there is a wide variety of programs to choose from, all stemming from three main areas: community strengthening, education, and public health and safety.

"A lot of people might think about volunteer work as something that's somewhat limited to soup kitchens and homeless shelters," said Lydia Hooper, a UCAN Serve coordinator with the Experiential Learning Center at UCD.

 "Once you crack the surface, and that's just the surface, there's so many opportunities available to any student, no matter what their interest is, or what their skill set is," she said.

UCAN Serve AmeriCorps is considered the part-time, local, campus version of the Peace Corps. It is a federal program that awards monetary scholarships to members, based on the number of hours they have completed during their service.

"Part of the reason that this particular AmeriCorps program works so well for our students is that it's broken up into what's called an 80/20 split," said Willie Brown, another UCAN Serve coordinator specializing in teacher education at UCD.

According to Brown, students may count classroom time, including homework, as 20 percent of their hours toward the program. The other 80 percent comes from the internship itself.

Wendy Fick has already completed a bachelor's degree at UCD, and is now working to fulfill her volunteering prerequisite for medical school. She currently volunteers in the pediatric unit of Denver Health.

"I was applying to volunteer different places and [a woman at] Denver Health called me back and she said, ‘Have you heard of AmeriCorps?'"

Since Fick is already working full-time, she opted for the plan that requires 300 hours to be completed over the span of one calendar year. Other options are 450 hours over one year, or 900 hours over two years.

Fick said that although it is hard work, the payoff is definitely worth that. "The benefits and blessings of being able to serve other people–it's just so rewarding to give back," she said.

For more information, or to apply to become a part of the UCAN Serve AmeriCorps program, visit the Career Center at the Tivoli, Suite 260.