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Summer Community Leaders

Overview

The Summer Community Leaders program is a ten-week summer of service experience and a collaborative learning community of excellent undergraduate students. SCL members serve 30 hours a week, building the capacity of local non-profit partners while receiving rigorous academic, professional, and personal support from TCNJ faculty, staff, and community mentors. SCL members receive a $5,500 stipend and $1,565 Segal Education Award. They participate in weekly training, discussions, and guest lectures as a group.  

The Summer Community Leaders is for current TCNJ students who want to develop leadership and civic engagement skills. The program aims to provide a mentored service experience, enhance the student’s academic experience, and inform career goals while building the capacity of non-profit organizations in Trenton and addressing community-identified needs.

Meet the Members

Please get to know our Summer Community Leaders from previous years on our Meet the Members Page.

Application Process

The application requires two completed sections:
1) Completion of the 2024 SCL Program interest form
2) Completion of the separate AmeriCorps Portal Application
The interest form can be found here for the 2024 SCL Program starting 2/26/2024. We will hold the interest form open until all positions are filled.
Candidates are required to fill out a separate application in order to enter the AmeriCorps system, which can be found here.

Questions? Contact SCL@tcnj.edu

Previous Community Partners

  • Arm in Arm – Assist on-site at one of 3 pantries with preparation and packing of bags of food  for distribution to community members experiencing food insecurity.
  • Capital Area YMCA Assist with the management of the Summer Meals Program, a USDA-sponsored initiative which provides free nutritious and balanced meals to children when school is not in session. Assist staff in the distribution of grab & go meals, package prepared children’s meals for residents, follow all food safety guidelines, and assist staff with the set-up/breakdown of site locations; Coordinate and recruit volunteers for the Summer Meal Service Program and Greenwood Avenue Farmers Market.
  • HomeFront – Working with children through in-person and virtual camp on enrichment and academic activities
  • Isles Inc. – Support school and community gardens; assist with production & educational gardens and distribution of food to emergency food provider; plan and implement garden & food-focused community events and public engagement efforts.
  • Meals on Wheels – The ideal candidate will have access to a car to deliver meals to homebound participants, Assisting with initiatives for participants, including Friendly Visiting Program, art & puzzle items, etc. and social media/communications projects.
  • Mercer Street Friends – Counselors will support the Summer Learning Program teachers and participate in the teachers plans to execute lessons that align with the established curriculum and meet the needs, abilities, and interests of participating students.
  • Millhill Child and Family Development Center – (1) STEM Coach/Mentors to middle school students grades 7,8,9; (2) Camp Rise Assistant Coordinator – Stem and literacy camp for children in K-4; and (3) Summer Youth Workforce Coordinator – virtual job training program for youth ages 16-21.
  • Princeton YMCA – Provide administrative support for the ACE and Youth Forum programs that work with economically-disadvantaged students in Princeton’s middle and high school.
  • Trenton Area Soup Kitchen -Looking for students to fill adult education, food security and job training positions. 
  • Trenton Health Team – Support local food systems planning efforts; help in planning Trenton Food Stakeholders meetings; record meeting minutes for Trenton Food Stakeholders meetings; assist in managing the Trenton Area Free Food Resources tool; help field requests from Trenton Food Stakeholders members.
  • Urban Promise – SCL students will teach inner-city children ages 6-13 participating in the camp and mentor our teenage StreetLeaders who are all high school students in Trenton. SCL students will help develop curriculum for the summer and teach one of four classes and lead activities for the campers, while guiding the high school students who also work with the children.

Eligibility/Requirements

Applicants must be a current TCNJ undergraduate, graduate student, or alumni who have recently graduated no earlier than Spring 2024. Applicants must have a demonstrated history of being in good academic standing.

Preference is given to students possessing:

  • Rising sophomores, juniors and seniors
  • Students with 3.0 or above GPA
  • Leadership and/or civic engagement experience
  • Interest in social change
  • Ability to work with diverse populations
  • Professionalism, commitment, curiosity, and creativity

As a requirement of AmeriCorps/Corporation for National & Community Service, you must be at least 17 years old or older, and either a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or legal permanent resident alien of the United States to apply.

 

Summer community leaders logo

Americorps logo

Contact

Center for Community Engagement
Forcina Hall, Room 337
The College of New Jersey
P.O. Box 7718
2000 Pennington Rd.
Ewing, NJ 08628

609.771.2548
bonner@tcnj.edu
tcnjcel@tcnj.edu

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