Center for P-16 Initiatives awarded 2011-12 AmeriCorps grant

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
November 4, 2011

The Center for P-16 Initiatives at Texas State University-San Marcos has received a grant for the 2011-12 Texas Campus Compact Students in Service Program (SIS).

SIS is a part-time AmeriCorps program that offers scholarships to students who serve their community throughout the year. The center is currently seeking dedicated students to be placed in the program. Each student will receive a stipend of $1,175.00 for their year-long commitment to complete the required 300 hours of service.

Texas State is one of nine higher-education institutions to receive the SIS grant. The program, now in its second year, provides stipends for 80 students who engage in service learning programs.

Service learning, gaining popularity at college campuses around the nation, is typically set up for college students to gain college credit (and, in some cases, stipends) in exchange for participating in service projects aimed to address critical community needs.

The Center for P-16 Initiatives, under the direction of Michelle Hamilton, is integral to Texas State’s efforts to usher in a new generation of students who are college-minded and career-ready.

“The Center for P-16 Initiatives is focused on helping students and families navigate the process of gaining access to and applying for a college education,” said Hamilton. “We understand the importance of service learning and civic engagement in addressing critical community needs, and the Texas Campus Compact SIS award is a perfect fit for us.”

The center is recruiting Texas State students to fill 16 SIS member positions. Interested Texas State students should contact Liz Castaneda at (512) 245-8192.