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program purpose | supporting engagement | getting started

**Please Note: The content on this page is subject to change and may be updated often. Please revisit this site immediately prior to enrolling or exiting the program for current policies and information.**

Update 2/8/12: Students in Service has placed a stay on new enrollments for the 2011/2012 program year. This stay is in effect pending AmeriCorps' approval of new Students in Service background check proceedures, neccesitated by the Kennedy Serve America Act. This stay is expected to be perminantly in place for the remainder of the current program year.

Americorps student working togetherStudents in Service AmeriCorps is a program of Washington Campus Compact (WACC) with funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service. Students in Service supports university students who provide valuable service in their communities. By participating in the program, the member becomes a part of the AmeriCorps national service network that improves lives and strengthens communities throughout the country.

Community Engagement Center’s Students in Service program currently supports Sacramento State students engaged in extensive service based fieldwork/practicum hours such as social work, physical therapy, and student teaching.

Program Purpose:

Students in Service meets critical community needs by engaging higher education students in service, and fostering within them an ethic of civic responsibility. Students serve in partnership with schools and non-profit community-based organizations in the areas of education, human needs/services, the environment, public safety, and community development. With rising tuition costs, and competing interests, Students in Service strives to make service a viable opportunity for students.

Supporting Campuses and Communities:

Students in Service can support a variety of non-paid engagement efforts, including:

Already a Member?

Timelogs are due the 5th of each month following the month hours are completed. If the office is closed, place the timelog in the marked slot outside our office, Library 4028.

>> Need a timelog or a new site agreement form?


  • Academic and co-curricular service activities
  • Federal/State Work Study-funded service focus positions (the only eligible paid positions)
  • Non-paid academic internships with a service focus
  • Practicum hours such as social work, counseling, physical therapy, teacher credential fieldwork, etc.

Students in Service offers each student the opportunity to choose one of three terms of service (the number of hours she/he agrees to complete). Upon successful completion of a term of service, students are eligible for an Education Award (scholarship), which can be applied towards outstanding student loans or the cost of attendance at a college or university. The Education Award is not cash; it comes in the form of an electronic voucher that is sent directly to the campus or loan holder.

The Education Award amount varies, depending on the term of service:
(amounts valid for enrollments beginning after August 2010)

  • 300 Hour Term of Service = $ 1,132.00 Education Award
  • 450 Hour Term of Service = $ 1,415.00 Education Award
  • 900 Hour Term of Service = $ 2,675.00 Education Award

As of 11/21/11, the following slots are available:

  • 300 Hour Term - 9
  • 450 Hour Term - 3
  • 900 Hour Term - 0

Only individuals who have attended an in-person orientation and completed the enrollment process outlined in the "How it Works at Sacramento State" section below can be considered for enrollment.
(See steps for submitting enrollment package.)

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Getting Started:

Sacramento State is awarded a limited number of enrollments each year for Students in Service. As the campus coordinator of Students in Service (SIS), Community Engagement Center administers this program primarily through departments whose students must fulfill a significant number of practicum hours as a degree or certificate requirement. Sacramento State was awarded 77 enrollment slots for the 2011/2012 program year; enrollments are offered on a first come basis to students who are able to meet the steps outlined in the "how it works" section below, and who can demonstrate their ability to fulfill the required service hours within one year (for 300 or 450-hour term of service; two years for 900-hour term).

How it works at Sacramento State

  1. Complete the Online Pre-Service Overview for general program and eligibility information. Please note this is general information; for Sac State specific policies, please follow the process outlined below. Print out your completed pre-service overview questionnaire; while we do not collect any forms during the in-person orientation, you will need to include this document when you submit your enrollment package during your enrollment meeting. You should also review the Member Agreement located at studentsinservice.org for a complete program overview.
  2. Once you have completed the Online Pre-Service Overview and decide to commit to the program, you should identify tentative service projects and placement sites.
  3. Attend an in-person, on-campus program orientation. The number of in-person orientations offered depends on enrollment availability is subject to cancellation once the program fills. Please see the orientation schedule below.
  4. When you have confirmed your placement site, complete the Students in Service enrollment package, including the Site Agreement/Member Development Plan. Please note: if your service site has not been assigned to you though a contracting official or designated representative in Social Work, Physical Therapy, or the College of Education, your proposed placement site must be approved by the campus SIS program coordinator. Please do not circle a program term (300, 450, or 900); this will be selected when you meet with the campus SIS program coordinator to enroll.
  5. When your enrollment package is 100% complete, including all signatures, required documentation, and site supervisor required forms, you are ready to submit your enrollment request. Next, attend an in-person enrollment meeting with the campus SIS program coordinator. During this meeting, which lasts approximately 15 minutes, the campus SIS coordinator will review your enrollment paperwork, ensure your placement site and service meet SIS eligibility requirements, and work with you to determine which term of service (300, 450 or 900-hour, subject to availability) is best for you (see steps for submitting enrollment package).
    • Due to the limited number of enrollment slots awarded to Sacramento State, former SIS members who did not fulfill the term of service, or were otherwise exited from the program without an award, are ineligible to enroll in the 2011-2012 program year.
  6. After successfully completing the enrollment process, you become an AmeriCorps member and accumulate service hours; any service hours completed prior to your official enrollment date cannot be counted towards your term of service. Each month following the service month, you will submit a Time Log signed by you and your Site Supervisor. Once you are enrolled in the program, you cannot change your term of service.
  7. You’ll work closely with a person at your service site, called a Site Supervisor, who assists you in developing a service position description and identifying service goals. Site Supervisors also verify monthly Time Logs and monitor compliance with Prohibited Activities.
  8. You’ll have two years (24 months) from your enrollment date to complete a 900 hour term; and one year (12 months) from your enrollment date to complete either the 300 or 450 hour term. Should you need to change or add an additional service site, you must submit a new Site Agreement/Member Development Plan, and if applicable, the Criminal Record Check Verification Form. Once your new site agreement has been received, reviewed, and approved by the campus SIS program Coordinator, you will recieve a confirmation email and may begin accruing service hours.
  9. Upon successful completion of your Term of Service, complete and return the required exit forms to Community Engagement Center. Once your service hours have been verified, you will be exited from the program and receive email instructions on how to obtain your Education Award (see steps for exiting).

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Next Steps

Before you may enroll in the program, you must first complete the Online Pre-Service Overview AND attend a mandatory in-person, on-campus orientation.

Spring 2012 Students in Service Orientation

Students in Service offers our primary enrollment period during the fall semester. If enrollment slots remain available after the two week enrollment period expires following the final fall orientation, one orientation is offered in the spring semester. You must attend the following session in order to be eligible to apply for enrollment in the 2011/2012 program. The in-person orientation will be held in the University Union Hinde Auditorium and will last approximately 45 minutes.

  • Friday, February 3, 1 pm (enrollments start 2/6/12)
  • Participation in an orientation session is on a first come basis; please note: Hinde has a 180 PERSON SEATING CAPACITY. Advance reservations are not accepted.
  • You must attend a session in full and sign the attendance sheet in order for your participation to count.
  • You must attend an orientation for each program year; this applies to both new members and current members who wish to re-enroll for a new term of service.
  • You are expected to enroll within two (2) weeks of attending an orientation*; when selecting an orientation date, please make sure will have your placement site established, have required identification documentation in your possession, and be able to have all enrollment forms completed within the two week time frame.
  • Enrollments are conducted on a first come basis for individuals who have completed paperwork and have all required documentation. You may preview enrollment forms and program information at studentsinservice.org; the complete enrollment package is available at this link.
  • Spring enrollment space is very limited. Should the program fill following the orientation, students who have completed the enrollment requirements will be placed on an enrollment waiting list and will be notified should additional space become available.

    • *Students are expected to enroll within two weeks of attending the in-person orientation. Limited exceptions for extenuating circumstances will be made at the discretion of the SIS program coordinator. UPDATE 1/30/12: The two-week enrollment period will begin on the date enrollment is re-opened by Students in Service. This date has not yet been announced.

    If you are a Sacramento State student who will not receive a placement site assignment from Social Work, Physical Education, or teacher credential programs within the College of Education, or are not a student in one of these academic programs, please contact Community Engagement Center at (916) 278-4610 or email cecenter@csus.edu to see if you are eligible to enroll this award year.

    For additional information on this Educational Award program, types of activities that qualify/do not qualify for service, and answers to frequently asked questions ( FAQ ) please visit the Students in Service AmeriCorps program website at http://studentsinservice.org/.

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    last updated: 2/8/2012