<aside> ⭐ This is a case study of an on-campus AmeriCorps program that is co-curricular and not for academic credit.

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University of Central Arkansas logo

About the University of Central Arkansas

The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) is a four-year public comprehensive university located in Conway, Arkansas. Founded in 1907, UCA “dedicates itself to academic vitality, integrity, and diversity.” The institution offers 162 degree and certificate programs and has an enrollment of approximately 10,000. UCA is committed to public outreach and currently holds the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement.

About BearsServe Leaders

UCA hosts an AmeriCorps program called BearsServe Leaders that engages current undergraduate students in intensive service experiences with local nonprofit partners. BearsServe Leaders commit to serving 15 hours/week for two 15-week semesters (450 hours total). BearsServe Leaders receive an AmeriCorps living stipend paid out over the course of their service term and a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award at the conclusion of their service. Students participating in the program must attend bi-weekly cohort meetings focused on teambuilding and training. UCA recently hired a full-time staff member to coordinate this program, which was created in 2019.

Nonprofit Partners

In 2023-2024, the following organizations are hosting BearsServe Leaders.

• Arkansas Asset Builders

• Bethlehem House

• Boys & Girls Club

• Choosing to Excel

• City of Hope Outreach

• Community Action Program for Central Arkansas

• Conway High School Credit Recovery Program

• Conway Ministry Center

• Faulkner County Juvenile Court

• Milestones Services

• UCA Bear Essentials Food Pantry & Food Recovery Network

• UCA Child Study Center

• UCA Department of Student Transitions

• United Way of Central Arkansas

• Youth Advocate Resource Network

Lessons Learned

• UCA established partnerships with nonprofit organizations long before creating the BearsServe Leaders program through the service-learning program. AmeriCorps positions were created to provide additional support to organizations where many UCA students were already volunteering or where UCA faculty had partnered for academic service-learning projects.
• BearsServe Leaders serve in Quarter Time (450-hour) AmeriCorps positions. This is a significant time commitment for students, and UCA has considered offering Minimum Time (300-hour) options but doing so would require UCA to increase the number of positions available (which creates a recruitment challenge).
• UCA recruits members during spring semester for a fall kick-off, contingent upon continued AmeriCorps funding. They also do some outreach to high school counselors throughout the state in order to connect with new students who will enroll in the fall semester.
• BearsServe Leaders is modeled after The Bonner Program, which provides scholarships to students in exchange for intensive and meaningful community service. Both BearsServe Leaders and The Bonner Program support college access and success by providing funding, training, and a sense of belonging for students with financial need. In keeping with this model, UCA intentionally recruits students experiencing financial need, students belonging to underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, and first-generation college students for the BearsServe Leaders program.
• Members can earn one academic credit hour by enrolling in an “Introduction to Community Engagement” course at UCA. They fulfill the requirements for this course by attending BearsServe Leaders cohort meetings and completing reflection assignments throughout the semester.
• Though BearsServe Leaders is primarily a co-curricular (non-credit bearing) program, some students have received academic credit through internships in Public Health and Health Sciences.
• The BearsServe Leaders program is currently paying one of their member’s living allowances with Federal Work Study (FWS) funds. They petitioned UCA for FWS funding and were granted the equivalent of one FWS position ($3,000). Paying one student with FWS funds allows the program to use $3,000 of their AmeriCorps grant for other purposes.
• The onboarding process can be challenging. BearsServe Leader positions must be hired through the university’s Human Resources system to receive their living allowance payments through university payroll, and students/members must complete a UCA hiring application and onboarding forms in addition to the AmeriCorps application, national service criminal history checks, and citizenship eligibility verification process.
• Background checks can be time consuming and expensive. UCA is currently trying to get students to commit to more than one year of service in order to reduce the onboarding workload. (Note: The Arkansas state service commission requires host sites to include background checks in their program budgets.) Serving for more than one year is advantageous for students, too, because they can earn a larger Education Award by serving more hours.