General Information |
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| A scholarship program for service learning is available through AmeriCorp. Our social work internships (both BSW and MSW) qualify for consideration if you are placed in a not-for-profit agency, if the internship hours are unpaid, and if you are a US citizen, US national or lawful permanent resident alien. Students volunteer for an allotted amount of hours, and field hours, if unpaid, do count, and after the completion of all forms, an educational voucher will be sent to you which can be used to pay tuition, loans and future educational expenses for up to the next 7 years. |
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| Students who will be at a for-profit agency for their field placement may still apply in the semester prior to field for a scholarship. If awarded, the student can enroll, and will have one year to complete the volunteer hours at a volunteer experience of the students choosing or, if a two year MSW student, at a not-for-profit SOWK 688 field placement within that same year. |
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| Students who are doing their internship at their place of employment, or receiving payment for the internship may also apply, and if the agency is a not-for-profit, they can count as AmeriCorp service hours any hours that are separate and distinct from paid hours. The service does not have to be different, but AmeriCorp hours should be tracked and not be within the paid hours of employment. It is likely this will require additional hours of service outside the internship for most students who are placed at their place of employment. |
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| Students who have questions regarding their individual placement situation should apply, and then, if an award is received, the situation will be reviewed to see if it can qualify. |
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This year (2007-08) there are 140 AmeriCorps awards available to the School of Social Work students. These awards will be distributed between all BSW and MSW classes, in the semester prior to starting your field placement.
Awards are for either 300 or 450 hours of volunteer service.
- Awards are for either 300 or 450 hours of volunteer service.
- 450 hour awards get a $1250 educational voucher after the completion of the service hours.
Vouchers can be used for up to 7 years for educational expenses, student loan repayment. For more information see the CSU AmeriCorps website at http://www.slce.colostate.edu/slice/volunteer/americorps.aspx
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| Awards will be distributed on a “first come” basis. Based on student input, preference will be given to students who have not received an award before a student is awarded a second CSU AmeriCorp award. Students can specific a preference to type of award (300 hour or 450 hour), and these will be distributed by student preference while they are available. The College of Applied Human Science has some additional Americorps awards, including some 900 hour awards (with a value of $2363.) Students are free to explore this option with Rachel Gramig, the AmeriCorps Coordinator (contact information below). |
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| Each semester there will be an application period with a set start date. Scholarships will be awarded from that start time until the allotted scholarships are used. Only students who will receive an award will be notified, and given the information about next steps in the process of enrollment. |
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| Applications are accepted each semester. We inform and remind students of the award opportunities through emails and classroom annoucements. Students may apply at any time by accessing the online application (through the AmeriCorps tab). |
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More AmeriCorps information, and the application is available on line at www.ssw.cahs.colostate.edu/field/americorps/default.aspx and you will be able to fill it out on line, and submit it on line to the email of:
Nancy Gerardi Nancy.Gerardi@ColoState.EDU (Your AmeriCorps sponsor for the School of Social Work)
Colorado State Unversity
School of Social Work
136 Education Building
1586 Campus Delivery
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1586
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| After a student is notified of their award, they must attend one mandatory informational meeting with Nancy Gerardi or Pam Bishop. There you will get basic information and directions on the steps to complete the process of an official AmeriCorps enrollment. |
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| Informational meetings are scheduled as they are needed and students are notified individually of the times once their application has been accepted. |
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| After that informational meeting, you will be directed to the Americorp Coordinator, Rachel Gramig (970-491-3802) and slceamericorps@Exchange.ColoState.EDU , to schedule a training time with you to get you officially enrolled. |
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This scholarship is paid out as a voucher for future educational expenses. Students get the voucher after completion of the service hours (internship) and can apply this voucher to:
- the next semester’s tuition – after the exit process is completed (complete exit form and final paperwork ASAP)
- outstanding student loans
- future educational expenses (within 7 years) While in the program, students can apply to defer student loan payments until after the service experience (internship).
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| Students are not officially in the program until you have completed the official orientation/enrollment, and signed the AmeriCorp contract and enrollment form. |
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| Please note, students in this program must fill out and submit monthly time logs and service reflection forms. If the monthly time logs and service reflection, or the exit forms are not completed as directed, the student will not receive the award voucher at the end of the volunteer hours. Therefore, it is very important that students understand that they must complete each aspect of this program. An estimate of the time needed for this paperwork would be 10-20 minutes per month. |
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| Selected students will need to bring identification documents to the enrollment meeting with Rachel Gramig (which each individual student will schedule): You must bring a copy of your birth certificate, passport or other proof of citizenship with you to this training. |
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The UCAN Serve coordination on our campus is Rachel Gramig. To contact her regarding training, or other issues:
Rachel Gramig
AmeriCorp Coordinator
176 Lory Student Center
8040 Campus Delivery
Email: slceamericorps@Exchange.ColoState.EDU
Telephone: 970-491-3802
To Get Any Americorp Forms go to: http://www.slce.colostate.edu/slice/volunteer/americorps.aspx
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