Expanding Access to Higher Education Through Service

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• Expanding Access to Higher Education Through
  Service
• Presenter Michael Meneer
• Executive Director AmeriCorps Alums, Inc.

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Table of Contents

• I. Overview
• Project Goal
• AmeriCorps/AmeriCorps Alums
• Education Award
• II. Case for Education Award Augmentation
• AmeriCorps-Student Characteristics
• Financial Aid Trends
• Growing Service Movement
• III. Recognition

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• Project Goal
• To help AmeriCorps members/alumni extend the
  utility of the AmeriCorps Education Award
• Build and strengthen relationships with higher
  education institutions

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AmeriCorps

• Domestic Peace Corps
• 50,000 serve annually
• 250,000 alumni since 1994
• Over 600 community-based programs
• Model Community Immersion
• Training
• Partnership

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AmeriCorps Alums

• National Assoc. for AmeriCorps alumni, members
  and supporters
• 25,000 members
• Mission Ensuring AmeriCorps is a year in a
  lifetime of service
• Emphasis on education, public sector career
  development and service

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Facts Figures

• 82 said the education award was an important
  factor in joining AmeriCorps
• 61 applied the education award towards a BA or
  BS
• 23 towards graduate school
• 8 towards an associates degree
• AmeriCorps Alums, Inc. Membership Survey. Fall,
  2001

• 60 used the education award within two years
• 30 paid student loans
• 30 paid tuition and fees immediately
• 20 have not used the education award

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Education Award Augmentation

• College/University provides a unique financial
  aid opportunity available for AmeriCorps
  members/alumni
• To build the ethic of service on campus
• To expand and diversify the student body

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Table of Contents

• I. Overview
• Project Goal
• AmeriCorps/AmeriCorps Alums
• Education Award
• II. Case for Education Award Augmentation
• AmeriCorps-Student Characteristics
• Financial Aid Trends
• Growing Service Movement
• III. Recognition

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The Case for Augmentation
The Case for Augmentation
Growing Service Movement
AmeriCorps-Student Characteristics
Financial Aid Trends
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The Case for AugmentationAmeriCorps-Student
Characteristics

• Educational Attainment
• AmeriCorps alumni are more likely to attend a
  college/university because they already have some
  degree of college experience.

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The Case for AugmentationAmeriCorps-Student
Characteristics
Educational Attainment

• AmeriCorps Members
• 37 some college or associate degree
• Abt Associates. Assessment of Long Term Impacts
  on Service
• Participants. May 2001.

• U.S. Population
• 25 some college or associate degree
• Census Bureau

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The Case for AugmentationAmeriCorps-Student
Characteristics

• Minority Recruitment
• Augmenting the education award can serve as a
  tool for recruiting minority students to colleges
  and universities

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The Case for AugmentationAmeriCorps-Student
Characteristics
Minority Recruitment

• AmeriCorps
• Class of 2000
• 50 are minorities
• Black/AA 26
• Hispanic/Latino 15
• Native Amer. 3
• Asian 2
• Abt Associates. Assessment of Long Term Impacts
  on Service
• Participants. P. III

• Minorities in Higher Education
• Public 4 Year 25.1
• Private 4 Year 24.2
• The Chronicle of Higher Education. Almanac
  Issue 20012002.
• August 31, 2001. P. 12

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The Case for AugmentationAmeriCorps-Student
Characteristics

• Income
• Augmentation provides colleges/universities the
  opportunity to recruit people who would be less
  likely to go to college.

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The Case for AugmentationAmeriCorps-Student
Characteristics
Income

• College Students
• 9 come from households with incomes less than
  20,000
• The Chronicle of Higher Education. Almanac
  Issue 20012002.
• August 31, 2001

• AmeriCorps
• 34 come from households with incomes less than
  20,000
• Abt Associates. Assessment of Long Term Impacts
  on Service
• Participants. May 2001.

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The Case for AugmentationAmeriCorps-Student
Characteristics

• Age
• Augmentation provides colleges/universities with
  a vehicle to diversify their student body by
  recruiting non-traditional age AmeriCorps alumni

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The Case for AugmentationAmeriCorps-Student
Characteristics
Age - AmeriCorps Members
Age - College Students

Age at Enrollment, Fall 2000
9
3
5
21
10
21 or Younger
21 or Younger
22-29
22-29
30-37
25
30-39
38-45
13
Over 40
Over 45
67
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The Chronicle of Higher Education. Almanac Issue
2001-2002. August 31, 2001
Westat, February 1999
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The Case for AugmentationAmeriCorps-Student
Characteristics

• Skills Experiences that Make AmeriCorps Alumni
• More Likely to Graduate
• Proactive
• Leadership
• Problem Solving
• Communication
• Time Management
• Respect Diversity

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The Case for AugmentationAmeriCorps-Student
Characteristics
Civic Engagement

• AmeriCorps Members
• 70 Keep informed about local/national news
• Abt Associates. Assessment of Long Term Impacts
  on Service
• Participants. P. 23

• College Students
• 28 Interested in keeping up to date with
  political affairs
• Higher Education Research Institute. An
  Overview of the 2000
• Freshman Norms. UCLA

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The Case for AugmentationFinancial Aid Trends

• Several factors contribute to a significant
  devaluation of the purchasing power of the
  AmeriCorps Education Award
• Rising unmet need
• Inflation
• Rising Tuition Costs

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Devaluation of the Education Award
Tuition Increases and Inflation
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The Case for AugmentationFinancial Aid Trends

• AmeriCorps Members Overall Household Income Prior
  to AmeriCorps Averaged 35,000
• Abt Associates. Assessment of Long Term Impacts
  on Service Participants. P. III

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The Case for AugmentationGrowing Service Movement

• Growing Service Movement on Campuses
• Campus Compact
• America Reads
• Increased volunteerism among young people

• Colleges eager to partner to make a differences
  in communities
• Increased attention to Federal Work Study

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Why Augment the Education Award?

• AmeriCorps alumni will
• Expand the size of your student body
• Diversify your student body
• Contribute to the ethic of service on your campus
• Bring experiences and skills that will make them
  more likely to graduate.

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Table of Contents

• I. Overview
• Project Goal
• AmeriCorps/AmeriCorps Alums
• Education Award
• II. Case for Education Award Augmentation
• AmeriCorps-Student Characteristics
• Financial Aid Trends
• Growing Service Movement
• III. Recognition

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Why Augment the Education Award?

• Recognition
• College/University will be listed in a directory
  that is disseminated widely within AmeriCorps
  600 community-based programs
• College/University will be chronicled in
  AmeriCorps Alums publications and presentations
• College/University will be recognized in a
  direct e-mail to subscribers to the Alums
  e-bulletin 10,000 people

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• 1400 I Street, NW Suite 560
• Washington DC 20005
• 202-729-8180
• www.americorpsalums.org