Corps strength

“UC Irvine has been awarded $4.7 million as a returning partner campus for the 2026-29 #CaliforniansForAll College Corps. The funding ensures that hundreds of low-income students in the program will continue to contribute to Orange County communities while mitigating the cost of their higher education. UC Irvine currently has 112 fellows placed in local nonprofits focusing on climate action, food insecurity and public health. The College Corps program – which provides up to $10,000 to students who complete 450 hours of service work – is part of a broader statewide initiative, in partnership with colleges and universities across California. It has proven itself to be a bridge between higher education and real-world challenges, connecting students with pressing needs in local communities. Administered by California Volunteers, Office of the Governor, #CaliforniansForAll College Corps is one of four branches within the California Service Corps, joining the Youth Service Corps, the California Climate Action Corps and AmeriCorps California. Together, they form the largest service force in the nation. College Corps first came to UC Irvine during its statewide rollout in 2022, finding a home within Campus Organizations & Volunteer Programs, a unit in the Division of Student Affairs directed by Darlene Esparza. COVP had already built a reputation for fostering meaningful volunteer opportunities, but the scale expanded and the vision sharpened when College Corps was introduced. Students were no longer just volunteering; they were becoming fellows. The impact was immediate. Students who once struggled to balance part-time jobs with academic demands found a new resource. As College Corps fellows, they could earn money for college while gaining hands-on experience and building relationships and trust within the community. “For the past three cohorts, there have been a significant number of students completing the program who have decided ‘I want to do climate action’ – whether it’s graduate school or work in a community space – or ‘I want to do food insecurity’ or ‘I want to serve the Latino population in Orange County,’” says Sherwynn Umali, Student Affairs deputy chief of staff. “Because of the experience they had – whereas that might not have been their career plan to begin with – they realize they can see themselves doing this work. It’s magical in that way.” “It helped me grow and learn about myself in terms of what type of people I enjoy being around, the type of volunteering I like to do and what specific communities I would want to serve in the future,” Faysman says of College Corps. Steve Zylius / UC Irvine That connection is personal for many students. Ella Faysman, an international studies and political science major, joined College Corps to reconnect with the spirit of volunteering she had developed in high school and also find her place in a new community. Originally from the San Fernando Valley and now living in campus housing, Faysman saw the program as a way to meet others and give back to the community. “When I joined College Corps, I met so many people in my major,” says the second-year student. “It helped me grow and learn about myself in terms of what type of people I enjoy being around, the type of volunteering I like to do and what specific communities I would want to serve in the future.” Placed in Irvine’s Lakeview Senior Center, Faysman works on food insecurity initiatives, helps prepare and serve meals and spends time with seniors in both the dining room and computer lab. She says they regularly express gratitude for simply seeing younger people show up to serve. “I grew up in a multigenerational household where my mom and grandma were the main people who raised me,” Faysman says. “My grandmother, who is 85, has had a significant influence on me, teaching me about caregiving and resilience.” She says that College Corps has also exposed her to diverse cultural perspectives via conversations with seniors about their home countries and life in the United States, deepening her understanding of global and local issues alike. Inspired by the systemic factors at play and the communities she engages with, Faysman changed her undeclared academic status to prelaw, with plans to pursue civil law and continue helping vulnerable and immigrant populations. Beyond personal growth, the program has provided critical financial support that allows her to focus on both her studies and her service. In addition, she’s grateful to College Corps’ advisors for their guidance and understanding of the realities students face. Stories like Faysman’s reflect a larger truth about College Corps: Students enter seeking financial stability or experience, and they leave with a clearer sense of purpose, better professional skills and lasting connections. The new grant will maintain this momentum. It enables UC Irvine to expand its reach, strengthen its partnerships and support more students in becoming civic leaders and agents of change. It also reinforces the idea that universities have a vital role to play in addressing societal challenges – not just through research and innovation but through direct engagement with the communities they serve. “It’s nice to volunteer, but not everyone can volunteer because people have to work to survive – especially first-generation, low-income students who are impacted in different ways,” Umali says. “Receiving this grant means that we can continue to do the good work of ensuring that our students who are most in need of opportunity can pay for college without huge barriers and that, at the same time, they’re giving back to the communities they care so much about.”

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