Sometimes public service at UC Merced looks like finding ways to grow crops with a changing water supply. Or delving into how children translate for their non-English-speaking parents.
And sometimes it looks like picking up a paintbrush and refurbishing park benches and curbs at Lake Yosemite.
That was the case Wednesday as California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday joined UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Charles Nies, Merced River School District Superintendent Richard Lopez and several volunteers on campus to announce recruitment of 1,000 people in the Central Valley to join the paid California Service Corps.
California Service Corps members receive living stipends. Many can receive up to $10,000 after completing their service to be used for college, trade school or to pay back student loans. The benefits will help individuals who face crises of isolation, student debt and growing income inequality.
One of the groups is the College Corps program, for which UC Merced served as a pilot site. The others are AmeriCorps, Climate Action Corps and the California Service Corps.
"Today we proudly join Gov. Newsom's initiative to recruit 10,000 Californians for volunteer service, tackling our most pressing issues, gaining economic opportunities and shaping the future of our workforce," Muñoz said. "We should never consider volunteering as separate from our vision … you learn about yourself by being of service to others."
Wednesday's event was followed by a refurbishing project at Lake Yosemite, where volunteers picked up trash and refinished picnic tables and curb markings.
